Do you agree with the Nebraska Safe Haven Law?

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by crazyme4878

Well, perhaps it is good that there is a loophole, so we start talking about this issue. ....

Yes, we all are making a big mistake by NOT acting on this issue, and bringing this (as with many other significant problems) into the forefront rather than the bipartisan bickering and mud slinging. Kids are pretty important to us into the future and now.

There should be options for all ages of kids, as the youth that have no escape are at huge risk. (0-16) Teenagers can at least hit the road. (which I did at age 16 with the blessing (encouragement) of my mother.)

It is very disheartening to see the NE issues, as this is but a small tip of a very big problem, and it is too bad there is not better 'pre-parenting' or family support. We are in an era where many families do not have an experience of normalcy for generations. While it is ironic that this loophole has come to light in NE, it is one of the places that often embraces the values than need to be instilled in these needy kids (IMHO). And it has some programs in place. Some states are so Left / polarized / strange... that they wouldn't be a very proper choice, nor capable of coming to agreement on a decent option for kids. (some of these states are very progressive in trying to get kids out of such risky behaviors as overly conservative homes and home school).

I'm all for 'Dairy Farm Boarding School'. 7 days / week of up at 4:30AM and back in the barn at 5PM is a lot better life than most of these needy kids could ever hope for. Plus we (USA) would stand a chance of growing some good leaders. (4H alumni, which SHOULD be a REQUIREMENT for anyone in public office, especially presidents )

States / fed gov would be wise to open their eyes and ears to this issue. NE would be wise to not bring out the firehose, but to draft a comprehensive solution not only for NE, but transportable to the entire USA. AND to keep this issue on the front page till its solved! Which in my view would be NE taking ALL kids that qualify and dealing with them in a benevolent way as an example to the many sleaze bag states who would do NOTHING but ship them out and back into their risky situation. This is REAL LIFE, thousands of kids are being abused right now, and probably hundreds of thousands at risk. This is NOT good.

[okpondlady]

Last night my 15 year old daughter was being particularly difficult and JOKINGLY I looked at my husband and said, "You got gas money to get to Nebraska?" Well it did diffuse the tension anyway. Yes I was JOKING. Please don't rip me apart. Sometimes it takes a joke to get everyone to calm down just a little bit. It worked.

[mommytotwo]

Originally Posted by crazyme4878

Well, perhaps it is good that there is a loophole, so we start talking about this issue. It seems like there should be an age limit, with an additional program for teenagers. It seems like the big sticking point for people is if teenagers should be included in it or not, so separating the two ages will help guarantee that the younger kids will continue to have this option while the question of unwanted teenagers is worked out. If it was up to me, I would also change to the law to apply to Nebraska kids only. It is the Nebraskan people that will have to pay for these kids, so it should be for them only. If people really like this law and want to have the same options, then they should work to pass a similar law with similar age limits in their state.

I agree.

The safe haven laws were enacted to protect infants from their parents who can't take care of them.

If older children need the same protection, there needs to be another law, suited to their needs. There should be some kind of process. How does the "problem" child feel when he's dumped off at the hospital?

I remember my mother telling me that her parents could no longer afford to support her and her 7 brothers and sisters. She told me how they were divided and shipped off to aunts and uncles. They lived like that for a couple of months, then were all back together.

If parents aren't able to take care of their children and have the sense/heart to recognize this, they should have legal options.