When children are abused or neglected, we shouldn’t assume that their parents don’t love them. Most really do love their kids and want them to grow up happy and healthy.

People who abuse children come from all backgrounds and economic levels. Sometimes they may not understand normal child development. Others have never learned the skills necessary for parenting. Parents of special needs children have extra demands placed on them. Stress can contribute to abusive situations.

Sometimes parents have difficulty dealing with frequent crises. Many have no support system of friends or family to help. When adults face marital or financial problems, they may be impatient with their children and take their frustration out on them. Drugs, alcohol, and domestic violence may enter the abusive cycle, making things worse. Often many of these problems occur at once and build to the point that they reach a crisis proportion. When this occurs, many parents do things they wouldn’t normally do, and that’s when children get hurt.

We need to realize that most abusive parents really do love their children. Both the abuser and the abused need help, and with compassion and education, they can be guiding toward a healthier life.