Why Did the Ohio Mother Fail to Embrace Her Divine Feminine Role in Nurturing?
***I am not a mental health therapist, so this article is not to diagnose. I speak from the stance of a mental health advocate, particularly when it comes to postpartum depression. This tragic case rocked my soul as a fellow mother and led to this opinion piece. May little Jailyn rest in peace.***
Photo by Criativa Pix Fotografia
The Ohio mother’s tragic tale who left her toddler for ten days alone is a sad memory of the sanctity and obligation of motherhood. As females, we possess the energy of the goddess in us; it helps us care for and protect our children. But personal responsibility intersecting with mental health can sometimes distort our thinking as mothers.
Once again, I emphasize that not every woman can be a good mother. Just because she has a womb and can bear does not make her an innocent child(ren) mother, as this tragic case exemplifies.
The Tragic Story of the Ohio Mother
An Ohio mom left her 16-month old baby girl alone in their apartment for 10 days while she traveled with her then-boyfriend to Detroit, then Puerto Rico. She returned to discover her dead daughter. The mother was charged with aggravated murder and given a life sentence.
The tragedy of this story is not only the loss of a young life but that it could have been prevented. The woman had suffered from emotional illness and insanity in the past. Still, she could abandon her kid without supervision for a long time as she did on impulse.
Why didn’t she ask her relatives to take charge of Jailyn? In fact, according to NBC News, the mother informed her boyfriend that he had left Jailyn with her mother. Why couldn’t she have followed through with such an idea?
After reading about this case recently, I found some photos of the mother in bathing suits on the beach in Puerto Rico, smiling as her crying little child starved at their house till it died.
Sacred Duty of Motherhood
As women, we can nurture and look after our children in a way that is distinctively ours. This responsibility, which is divine or spiritual more than biological, is bestowed on the parent who carries the sacred duty of bringing up the future generation with love and kindness.
Nevertheless, maintaining this path may be difficult considering the demands of today’s life. Work pressures, personal relationships, and other matters can drive some people to disregard their families due to the mental strains they undergo, leading to poor judgments.
Interplay Between Personal Responsibility And Mental Health
It is our personal responsibility as mothers to protect our children from any form of harm. We should always ensure that nothing happens to them physically, emotionally, or psychologically. Essential needs provision only covers some things because emotional and spiritual aspects must be taken care of.
Furthermore, fulfilling this obligation becomes difficult for us when faced with mental health problems. Our decisions are impaired by depressions, which cloud our ability to choose wisely, while anxiety leaves us stranded in making critical choices without guidance. In its worst forms, a mentally ill person might even neglect his/her own children or abuse them instead.
Photo by Criativa Pix Fotografia
Women's Empowerment for the Care of Their Children
This is a cautionary tale for all women. We must be aware of our responsibilities as mothers and prioritize our children’s well-being above all else. We should put mental health first and seek assistance when necessary.
As females, we have a unique role to play in the upbringing of our offspring. We should embrace this holy obligation with open arms and minds so that we can change the world with love, compassion, and kindness.
The Societal and Individual Failures Leading to such Tragedies as the Ohio Case
In many cases, society fails to support families, which has led to dire outcomes. Many parents, particularly those who are poor or marginalized, struggle with low incomes, expensive housing, and lack of access to quality health care services as well as education opportunities available for their offspring, leading to high levels of stress and anxiety, ultimately affecting their parenting ability.
Individual causes may also contribute to neglectfulness or absenteeism in parenthood. Parental nurturing might be affected by issues related to mental health disorders, substance addiction, or even exposure to traumatic events like rape, among others. Besides, some parents may face difficulties while attempting to comprehend appropriate parental styles, whereas some of them could have been victimized before causing intergenerational trauma.
The Role of Both Parents: Fathers Who are Missing and Mothers Neglecting Their Divine Task
Concerning the Ohio mother, it is notable that she grappled with some personal problems, such as mental health challenges. At this point, we must mention the absentee fathers mentioned in my earlier readings. In all the articles I read about Jailyn, there was no information on her father. As a result, however, where had her father gone? How did little Jailyn go for almost a week without being checked on by her father?
Absentee fathers continue to be an issue in many communities, particularly those characterized by high crime and poverty rates. According to studies, growing up without a father exposes children to increased chances of detrimental effects like poverty, poor performance in school, and behavioral issues.
Negligent mothers are also a concern and should not be reduced to “bad parenting.” Various societal factors often contribute to neglect or absenteeism in parenting. At the same time, mothers should also consider their culpability for their own actions and seek help where necessary.
Societal Change is Urgently Needed, along with Personal Responsibility
Multiple approaches are required to deal with disregard and truancy in parenting. This involves offering support mechanisms for needy families, getting down to the root causes of poverty and inequality, and promoting positive child-rearing practices through education, among other things.
However, they individually have to take responsibility for what they do since these people sometimes need assistance, plus they can always come forward whenever they feel so. Here, one can look up organizations that offer counseling services or rather seek solace from friends’ guidance on personal growth or development plans, including parenthood.
The Importance of Community Support Systems
As women, our duty has always been nurturing our children, which we must live by today too; nevertheless, we cannot do this alone because every parent needs his/her family’s aid, community’s support, and society, in general, to be able to take care of his/her children. Our children deserve a better future; thus, if we join hands, such incidents would be minimized in Ohio.
Identifying Possible Signs of Neglect or Mental Health Problems in Parenting
It is crucial that we recognize the signs of potential neglect or mental health issues in parenting within our communities. A mother who appears indifferent, detached, or overwhelmed by her role as a parent might exhibit some telltale signs. Another indication could be that a mother may struggle with her mental health, such as depression or anxiety attacks. We must take notice of these symptoms and give assistance and advice to mothers who are finding it hard.
Encouraging Pre-emptive Support for Parents Struggling with their Duties
Our society should come together to provide parents struggling with their obligations with support and resources. No matter what led to their inability to cope adequately, these fathers and mothers need assistance from us to improve how they take care of their children. The services will include access to psychological treatment coverage, aid groups for parenting, and emergency intervention.
Resources Available for Mental Health Support, Parenting Help, and Emergency Intervention
There are various resources that deal with mental health support, parenting help, and quick response to emergencies. Some of these include local counseling groups, psychiatric hospitals, hotlines that assist in times of crisis, and parenting classes. These must be provided to parents in need so that they can reach out when required.
Living Out the Divine Feminine Energy in Child-Rearing
Women have the exceptional opportunity to live out divine feminine energy while nurturing or raising their children. This energy is characterized by love, empathy, intuition, and knowledge. By assimilating such attributes, we become better caregivers for our kids since they deserve all the care and attention they require to develop fully.
Non-negotiable Duty Imposed by Children
It is non-negotiable when one has been given the gift of children. We need to appreciate the burden attached to being mothers so as not to take it lightly. Our children’s needs must come first, and they should be attended to accordingly so that they may grow into healthy adults who can lead happy lives.
Implications of Neglect
This can cause dire consequences if we neglect our children. For instance, failures on our part as parents in giving our sons and daughters care could result in emotional problems like depression, among others leading to behavioral dysfunctions. Extreme cases may end up in terrible tragedies, much like in Ohio.
Contemplating What Role We Play In Assisting The Sacred Task Of Motherhood
As we consider what happened in Ohio, we must also ponder how we help mothers accomplish their sacred task of motherhood. We can’t afford not to support struggling mothers, so let’s provide resources where necessary without waiting until things are worse off than before. Then, make sure your own kid will be able to live happily using this sort of attitude.
Preventing Further Disasters
To prevent other counterproductive happenings, we call on everyone’s collaboration. We must act as a society to help women overwhelmed by their parental obligations. In the interest of our children’s development, we must love and care for them more than anything else. This will avoid subsequent calamities on Earth. We mothers should acknowledge that we are equally part of the problem so we can build better lives for our children.
