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SupermansLady
01-24-2007, 02:52 PM
My stepdaughter is 12. Her living situation is not what I would consider good (at all). My DH and her mother had a literal "one night stand", she became pregnant, had my stepdaughter and didn't tell my DH for 5 years he had a daughter. (He had moved out of state within a month of their fling and didn't move back for almost 5 years.)
So, my DH was not a part of her life for the "formative" years as my mom would say, and he was not a Christian until 7 months ago, so his influence on her has not been great either. Her mother has not worked since the day she found out she was pregnant, lives in a goverment housing project, gets food stamps, TEA assistance and of course child support from my DH and her other daughters dad. She recently had a man move in with them. She is white, he is black. My stepdaughters younger sister is mixed. (I don't know if interacial relationships are wrong in God's eyes, but were I come from, they are always more difficult on the kids involved as is this case.) This whole situation causes me concern.
My stepdaughter informed me over the weekend (we had just told her that we are expecting) that she has become sexually active with this mans son who is 15. She is not on birth control, nor did they use any protection. Her comment was something like this, "maybe we will have babies who are close in age and they can play together."
HELP!!!!! This is a child who needs a ton of prayer. We have done what we can to influence her, but her living situation condones everything she is now experimenting with. Unfortunatly, this is not something we can take to court and say, "she needs to live with us, her mom is unfit". The kids are well fed, clothed, go to school, not abused. They just aren't being brought up in a Christian home.
I think this is the absolute hardest part about coming to Christ at a later age in life and having children with multiple partners. You can't do a lot about what you did wrong before and you can only hope that God is able to get their attention before it is too late.
Anyway - back to my original reason for posting this. Has anyone else dealt with a sexually active young teenager who isn't being responsible at all about it? What should we do as dad and stepmom? Is prayer the only thing in this case that will work?

Thanks for any advice you may have to offer.

kymommy
01-24-2007, 03:21 PM
I'm not sure where you live, but the crisis pregnancy center in our town has a Bible study for young teens called "Dreamkeepers". They have counselors trained to reach out to teens to share with them the dangers of premarital sex and encourages them to keep their dreams and find worth and value in Christ. It's an awesome program that has changed teens lives in our community. The teens get gifts (incentives) for going, meet other teens. The counselors really develop a relationship with the girls and send them cards to encourage them after the program. I think many Crisis Pregnancy Centers offer programs like this.
Maybe you could talk to your youth minister, or maybe a strong Christian collge student who could reach out to your daughter. I will pray for her!

tobikay
01-24-2007, 07:11 PM
I have no advice to offer. I only want to say that I have two step-daughters from a very simular situation. The older one lived with us from the age of 12 until she was sent to Juvanile Hall at 17, if she had not been so heavy, I am certain that she would have been pg before she was 15. Her younger sister has been sexually active with all kinds of boys for a long time, unfortunatelly. They have both been to church, baptized and prayed for, perhaps that is what has kept them from getting pg (although the younger one had a major scare a few months ago).

All I can say at this point is that one is 21 and the other is almost 19, they are adults now, we lived through it.

I will keep your SD in my prayers, hopefully God can move on her heart.

I don't know how things are in your state, but in Indiana, when a child turns 12, they can add their input into the decision as to who has custody of them, provided both parents are fit to have children. Perhaps, if she wants to live with you, you could get custody of her without having to prove that mom is unfit.

PBJ
01-25-2007, 05:12 AM
I really don't have any advice, but, I will be praying for you. I have two girls that are 15 and 16 and girls at that age are alot to deal with. So for me all I can say is pray, pray and pray! I will be praying for you!

SupermansLady
01-25-2007, 10:35 AM
Thanks. I appreciate all the prayers as does my DH. Being a truly responsible parent and Christian father is still new to him and he is struggling with this in particular. I wish that she did want to live with us, but she couldn't even stand to stay for 2 weeks over her summer break cause she missed her sister and friends at home so bad. We are in Central Arkansas and she lives 2 hours south of us. So, we really only get to see her every other weekend.
We are fervently praying for her salvation, as well as our youngest 3 sons salvation. This is part of the reason I started another thread on a different forum about what age you became a Christian. I guess I needed encouragement that some of you ladies had found Christ as adults too, not just as children. There is always hope in Christ, it's just hard for me as a human to let go and trust in his protection.
I'll keep you updated on any progress we see with her. On a different note, we just learned that 2 weeks ago our second oldest (my stepson) at the age of 14 has surrendered to full time ministry! Even at his young age he knows God is calling him to minister to youth. We are so proud of this! So PTL for each blessing in our lives.

Geri
01-27-2007, 09:29 PM
Katie--I'm new here but I just wanted to say keep the faith. I didn't give my heart to the Lord until I was 23. I will keep your family in my prayers.
I have a 14 year old daughter and just like PBJ said they can be a lot to deal with. The pre-teen and teen years are so far for me the most difficult. Nothing is too much for our God! [crossinpurple]

tobikay
01-28-2007, 10:33 AM
Katie, I grew up in "chruch" and my grandfather was a pastor, but I never really felt it, or showed it in my life until I was 25.

PBJ
01-28-2007, 04:52 PM
Nothing is too much for our God! [crossinpurple]

AMEN!!!!