A few of my friends have been posting something or another about the latest “Duggar News” what especially caught my eye was Simcha Fisher’s Would your kids know what to do if someone molested them?
It is a good question, though I think the answer for all children really is “no, they wouldn’t” and I could expound upon that a little but it is just the nature of children to not know. In reality the best you can hope for is that the relationship you have with your child is such that whenever anything disturbs their peace they can come to you. I completely share Simcha’s absolute lack of any interest in even the smallest news about the Duggar Family, but I will say that my take away from the little Facebook has forced on me is this: Josh Duggar went to his parents when he was 15 years old and told his parents he had done something horrible and they took him to the authorities. His parents convinced him to turn himself in. Which brings me to the question, “what would you do if your child came to you and said, ‘I molested someone’?”
I suppose the only lawful and moral answer to that question would have to be to convince them to turn themselves in and failing that to turn them in yourself. But I can’t even imagine the pain that would cause. When on occasion my children have come to me to confess something “horrible” they have done I have always been able to sooth them, advise them on how to right the destructive road they have started down. But something so horrific? Where do you even start with that? My soul shrinks at even the smallest thought of my child doing anything like this. I know my heart would want to hide them, protect them, keep them safe. Fifteen is still so young. It would be so easy to make any excuse not to contact the authorities.
Prayer could be the only place to start would be prayer. When David heard that his son Amnon had raped his sister he did nothing as we read in 2 Samuel “King David, when he heard of the whole affair, became very angry. He would not, however, antagonize Amnon, his high-spirited son; he loved him, because he was his firstborn.” I feel nothing but compassion for the Duggars and any parent who has to deal with such a devastating turn of events and I would pray that Our Lady of Sorrows comfort them and sustain them to do the right thing.
Simply Catholic 