Considering how much children suffer because of drug use, I feel like being harsh. I swear parenthood should be a priviledge and not a right. People have no right to hurt their children and make their lives more difficult than they already will be.

Our two foster/adopted children had a bio-mom who admitted to smoking marajuana daily and stated she had no intentions of quitting. The son has MANY academic, social and behavioral problems but she does not/will not see the connection. The mom was in jail during the majority of her daughters pregnancy and she is the most amazing, smart, sociable little girl you could meet. Coincidence? The mom seems to think so, I don't. This little boy is going to struggle for the rest of his life because of mom's selfishness and in turn, so will we as his adoptive family. People always say that it's their choice and they aren't hurting anyone but themselves when they do drugs - baloney!! This mom was given almost two years to get her act together when she admitted from day one that she had no intention of giving up the drugs - does that make any sense? All it did was prolong the pain for the kids because mom wasn't showing up for visitation regularly and every time she didn't it was like reopening that wound to their spirit. I say, if they admit they won't quit drugs, file for TPR immediately - why put these kids through more abuse?

Img1567:

I totally agree. I see so very many parents who simply cannot be bothered with their children. These are not responsible, capable people, caught in a crisis pregnancy...these are selfish people who have no intention of changing ANY of their lifestyle habits, including drugs, for anybody and certainly not for their children. It's incomprehensible to some people, but these type of parents can and do exist.

There are plenty of moms out there who can and are caring for their children and they can and do a fantastic job of it, but we need to look at each case individually and determine TPR based on the child's needs and assure them permanency in a loving, stable home.

I think no child should be denied full unclotted attachments to their parents. However, we need to understand, in this society, the health care system, has alot to do with some people's use of illegal and prescripted drugs. Unfortunately, people without health care and ongoing medical conditions, such as "depression, post-trauma stress disorders, etc., self-medicate, I believe 8 out of addicted people have other diagnosis, besides, "drug addict". Although, alcohol is legal, to a person with emotional mental conditions, this will cause, unfortunate addiction. However, will the parent be called "unfit" after waking up in the morning with a hangover, and not emotionally available to their children? Or, is the okay, because, it is legal in society to be an "alcoholic", around, in front of, or with children having knowledge of this "socialable" behavior from their parents. How-about the parent that is drug free, but neglect their children, because of their boyfriend or girlfriends, wanting to "man search", all day everyday, and the children are hunger aleast 3-4 times per week, other than at school. Again, this is okay?, As long as the child eat once a day. If a parent has a problem, separating the parent from their children do not help the parent or the child. The situation have now turned from bad to destroyed. If a parent do not have the resources of "How-to's", don't take her children, put them in strange envirnoments, and then expect her to recover and the child to do better. She most-likely will become sicker, and the child will become sicker also. It is like taking an animal out of the wild and placing it in an unknown environment. We as humans have attachments to our known envirnoments, and ask any child, where would he/she rather be, "with their parent, or with a foster parent". Help the whole family. Open a place to keep the family together. Their is a place to keep the family separated, "women's shelter's (domestic violence), child-care shelters (child abuse, neglect). Open one to keep the family stabilty, then decide if a parent want to be a parent? Especially, when in this system, "No one is keeping up with the keepers". Foster parents, and their surroundings of family and outside friends. Check the checker the way the parent is checked.

Please read "The New American", "Families separated by the State", and "This is Child Protection". Please respond to these articles on this site.

As we now have two beautiful children in our custody from drug parents I need a say in this. Our son was exposed in utero, after by bio's smoking it with him in the room and by ingesting his parents stash. Our daughter was exposed in utero and also with the smoking. And yes the smoke had to affect them seeing as second hand pot smoke can give someone a contact high. Our children we have just found out have permanant brain damage due to the in utero exposure. Son has more brain cells dying daily and has more conditions than I care to list. So to say the parents shouldn't be seperated from them? These parents decided on their own free will to expose these babies and hurt them. So when the other comment says is there a difference between the meth exposure and the person that wakes up hungover ignoring their kids, to me no there is no reason to ever neglect a child. But a question to you..our son has such damage that he may wake up one morning and be a vegetable. Now is there any difference in your mind between parents who would use their hands and beat their child into a coma or a drug parent who will damage their child just a bad? No there is no difference, they should all be terminated and let their children have a more decent shot at life. As for my two there is no decent shot at life.