When my youngest son was 7 weeks old, I noticed a peppermint-sized lump on the right side of his head. There was no bruising, only swelling. I called my mother, frantic. As an infant, my sister had had a lump on her head that turned out to be a tumor.
I took my son to the doctor, and the doctor told me to go to the hospital. He did not appear to be in pain. He … Read More
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s recent announcement that New York City will invest millions in “family enrichment centers” sounds like a win for families. But this initiative should be reconsidered, and the city should start by listening to what families actually want.
Drugs got between me and my son.
Before my son came along, I was with different women and partied all the time. I was smoking marijuana and using cocaine once in a blue moon. I held down a good job but I also liked to have a fun and forget my responsibilities.
I knew things would change when I became a father, but I never expected that my partying might put my son in jeopardy.
Our Baby … Read More
Most parents who were abused do not harm their kids.
Although people often talk about “breaking the cycle of abuse,” studies show that most parents who were physically abused as children do not grow up to physically abuse their children, says Katherine Pears, a research scientist at the Oregon Social Learning Center. Here she explains the research on abuse and parenting:
That’s a notion in people’s heads that if you haven’t had a good model of … Read More
Imani Worthy, who spoke at the City Council hearing
At a NYC City Council General Welfare Committee hearing on racial disparities in child welfare, parents – including Rise’s Jeanette Vega and Imani Worthy – and advocates citywide testified about urgent adjustments and broad shifts to reduce the reach and harm of child welfare. This is Rise’s written testimony.
Thank you for holding this hearing to focus on racial … Read More
