Please stop killing your kids.

I couldn’t count on my hands the amount of times I had to talk a friend from a ledge, but I can say that all their voices sounded the same. Every single one of them talked about being a failure, not living up to expectations, and just not being good enough for the people in their lives. When the friend in need of help is ranting, they’re usually about their parents They would endlessly spill their flaws to me or the reasons why they believe they let down their parents, as if they were sins and I recall always thinking “You did nothing wrong, though?” They were come to me with tears in their eyes, a handful of pills, and death on their mind, telling me they were kicked out for the smallest thing.

I’m not here to be a “millennial” and go to war with the “baby boomers.” This isn’t some sort of journalistic propaganda; I’m writing about this because I’m tired of saving your kids and I’m tired of hearing perfectly normal human-beings fighting for shelter because of a disagreement. You, parents, need to put an end to throwing out your children and making them feel like they’re not good enough because they haven’t lived up to your expectations. Because I don’t think you quite understand what you’re doing when you tell your kids to pack up and get out of your home.

- Your kids are sleeping on my couch and they’re not thinking about going home. -

I believe you parents are kicking your children out as some form of punishment. Believing that they’ll learn to “respect you.” I can understand it; kick out your children and make them understand how cold the real world is and have them realize that they need you in their lives, but I can tell you that’s not what’s happening. One thing you guys fail to realize is that they are not actually are not children, as much as you like to think they are. They understand how the world works, they understand how tough it is to get a job, pay bills, manage a social life whilst praying to God that nothing awful happens. Instead, they’re thinking “how could you throw me out into a world? Your baby girl/Your little boy.” So instead of gaining some sort of respect for you, they just end up resenting you even more.

- They could be worst…And might even become worst -

I felt like I should have put this on top of this article, but I think it’s fine as long as it’s just said. The transgendered, bisexual, gay, lesbian, child you have raised could be worse than what you could’ve imagine. This also go for the parents with kids who are “rebellious.” It’s better to have a kid with the audacity to vote Democrat rather than Republican or the kid who said no to the thing you wanted them to do rather than someone who steals from you. When parents kick out your children you make a decision in your emotions and aren’t thinking clearly. You don’t think about the outcome but only to hurt your child like they hurt you or to remove them out of your life because they won’t fit into this mold you created. And what happens when they’re out on their own? Well basing it off of the situations I had to deal with, they’re with their friends thinking on how to make ends meet.

Like I said above, the job market isn’t too reliable in our current economy. Of course your kids will try to obtain a job at some fast food restaurant or a waitress or some other job that’s probably not paying them enough, but some could resort to doing something illegal for income. Some of the kids that get kicked out end up with no other choice but to do whatever they have to do to make ends meet. Kicking your child out doesn’t mean you’re just punishing them, it can also mean the destruction of their future because you were to petty to reconcile with them or to accept them for who they are.

- Pushing your kids to the edge-

I’ve stopped kids from swallowing pills, cutting their wrists, and finding other ways of killing themselves. The same kids are the kids who complain to me for hours about their parents. Your kids come to me looking for a way out while trying to make you satisfied with their existence. Teenagers or people just hitting their age of adulthood are balancing themselves on a tightrope, trying to figure out where they belong and their future careers whilst dealing with the pressure of achieving decent grades and the responsibility of school activities. These kids are already overthinking and have a fear that making one mistake in their daily activities can equal to the end of their life, so why are earth would you take away their protection, their comfort?

It’s probably because you don’t understand or choose to not understand and I can understand that. Parents, you guys have a lot on your plate as well, enough that makes you think your child’s life isn’t as difficult as yours and if that’s the case, then you’re not taking into consideration your child’s life and the things they have to worry about. You’re correct with your kids not worrying about bills and putting food in the house but you also have to understand that the reason why they don’t have to worry about that is because you’re their caretaker, you’re the parent who has to deal with those problems. Your children are supposed to deal with the problems that come with being a kid in high school or an adult in college who has to find out what they want to do in the future. To compare your problems with their problems and to say that yours is much bigger than theirs’s just because they haven’t reached that point in life where they have to deal with that is not fair and does nothing but show your child that you don’t care about their lives.

All I want for parents to do is to realize that their children are humans just like they are. Your child doesn’t have to and sometimes won’t grow up to be the thing you dreamed of and that’s okay. You shouldn’t kick out your child or make your child feel as if their not your child anymore because of a simple misunderstanding or a disagreement.

Love your kids, because all they want you to do is love them back.