For Parents Only

Parents

Raising our children is an endless process even when they grow older and are responsible and capable of making some of their own decisions. How we respond and support our children when they’re having difficulties can have a dramatic effect on a daughter's or son's emotional well being —now and in the future.

Every day at Hope Clinic we see young women and men distraught over an unwanted pregnancy. So often we hear young women ask,

“What will my mother say?” or
“How can I ever tell my dad?”

At Hope, we like to encourage the young adults we see to talk to their parents. As parents we all want to know what’s going on with our child. However, we leave that decision up to your daughter or son.

Your support at this uneasy time could be a major turning point in your relationship with your child.

Studies have shown young women are more likely to experience a favorable outcome after an abortion if their parents are supportive. It's also known that women under age 22,were more heavily influenced emotionally by parents' support than by a male partner's support. At Hope Clinic we also hear from our young clients,

“I don't know what I would have done without my Mom. She told me she would support me 100% no matter what I chose to do about the pregnancy. She’s with me today.”

Your daughter or son is likely to perceive her/his parent/parents as completely supportive if you have told him or her that you would support and help with any decision she or he makes, and reinforce your decision with action.

Just remember, the way you handle the situation right now will determine the future of your daughter or son as well as the future of your relationship with him or her and the relationships she or he will have someday with her/his own children.

What can happen when a parent is unsupportive?

Studies have shown that there are higher levels of hostility, anger, anxiety, shame and depression in young women whose parents were unsupportive than those young women whose parents were supportive.

Depression, anger and shame were more acute in women who described their relationship with their mothers as “negative.”

It's been also reported that the majority of the women who coped poorly after their abortion had told one or both parents and received emotional abuse and no support.

Hope Clinic would like all parents to know that our counselors are here to provide you with information and support to help your family cope with the emotions, thoughts and feelings that you may be experiencing at this time.