There is nothing so heart wrenching then to be caught up in the politics of Child Protective Services (CPS), when child abuse is suspected they may take someone's children and place them in a foster home. If they feel they have proven abuse they may keep your children for two years or never return them. If the children are tiny the chances go up that they will keep them and adopt them out. Our children do not belong to us but first to the state, unless we treat our children with their legal rights the state can take them, with the blessing of the federal government. Sounds good, we should not abuse, but between the CPS worker taking the child and returning them is a lot of time full of wild emotions and politics. People are blind to why it takes so long and turns out so poorly for everyone, workers, parents, and children. If you do not know what and why of whats happening then you are handicapped, you may do what you feel is right and responsible, but it may only make things much worse.

Usually, the very first thing people do when their children are taken is to get scared and anxious. This can make them defensive, so they get angry and tell off the workers. This only convinces the worker that you are indeed an abusive parent because you have just abused the worker. You may feel you have a right, after all you are their parent. But remember the children belong to the state. We have to be very polite, shook up is ok, its normal, but do not yell or criticize the person who, so to speak, has a gun to your head. This is only the beginning. I will talk next time about why the worker is so aggressive.