Mentally Ill Parent is Child Abandonment

There is a tremendous cost to society, in money and resources, when mentally ill parents birth children, if they are unable to meet the emotional needs of their developing child.  The government is expected to pick up the tab to provide all the required  services. 

• Living with a mentally ill parent is often traumatic and chaotic if the parents behavior becomes erratic.
• Mentally ill parent is often hospitalized or jailed without notice, upsetting the child
• Repeatedly placing a child with relatives or in foster care when the parent is in treatment
• Child is expected to accept and excuse abnormal behavior
• Government assistance required to raise children of mentally ill parents until they reach 18
• Child is parented by social worker
• Child becomes responsible party, or a caregiver, for parent
• Parent doesn't like affects of medication, stops using
• Parent displays embarrassing behaviors
• Child receives no consistency in discipline, guidance
• Hallucinations scare the child
• Mental illness may become physically dangerous to the child
• Illness controlled through medication as long as it is taken regularly
• Impaired reality
• Parent institutionalized, court ordered for psychiatric evaluation
• Child stays with elderly grandparents or other relatives
• Unable to give child consistency in routine
• Unable to recognize emotional needs of child
• Peers tease child; call parent names
• Mentally ill women often have many children by different absent fathers. 
• State support continues unless there are budget cuts then the family is afloat.

Primary consideration for reproduction should be solely based on the ability of the parent to nurture mind and body, feed, house and educate their child, without reliance on government assistance.