"Not My Child"

About the Book

“Not My Child”

Have anyone ever told you something negative about your son or daughter?  Was the first words from your lips “not my child?”  Well, yes, as a matter of fact, plenty of parents have made that same statement, so have I.  Because what we see is the surface of our children’s lives.

Well, if you’ve ever wondered why your child only wears a certain color? Why does your child carry a cigarette lighter but don’t smoke?  Why would your child want to be dropped at the mall but has no money?  Why is my child spending so much time on the computer?  Why is my child dressing so different?  You ask the same questions that many other parents ask but don't want to really know the answer.

Bobby is a sixteen year old student who’s parents were notified concerning his behavior and interest in the gang element.  Bobby's parents were unsupportive of the school and also denied that any of these allegations were possible.  Bobby's mother first response to the call was, “not my child.”  “Bobby is a good kid, he never goes anywhere, all he does is play video games at home and he's in the house all the time.”

It's now 4:30pm and Bobby has not made it home from school.  Bobby's mother took a trip up to the school house looking for him.  She sees a large crowd with police cars and ambulances near the building.  There had been a gang fight between two rival gangs in the area and some of the actors were injured.  Bobby's mother searched through the crowd and was relieved she didn't see him.  As she looked away to leave, she caught a glimpse of a snow white sheet with deep red blood stains covering only one area of the ground.  Her heart began to beat against the wall of her chest as if it would break through.  She ran as fast as she could, before the officer could stop her she pulled at the sheet uncovering what was underneath.  There lay Bobby, her first born and only son, dead.  She let out a scream that could be heard for miles and scared the ears of all who heard it.  The only words she could let escape from her lips, “Not my child!”

About the Author

My name is Karen A. Coleman, and I am a parent, wife and grandmother.  I am also a mentor, youth director, author, poet and currently a police officer in a Houston area school district.  You may be asking yourself right now, what qualifies me to give you information concerning your children well being?  Also what makes me an expert on this subject?

For those who may ask, I have the opportunity and the privilege to be a versatile part in the lives of children.  These children are a part of various cities, cultures and lifestyles.  I am a concerned parent and officer, and my assignment is on a school campus.  I am a necessity in the environment where children attend school. I spend fifty percent of children’s daily lives with them, as a friend, counselor, liaison and disciplinary.

I was raised in a three-bedroom home in the fifth ward area of Houston Texas. I have eight siblings with me being one of the youngest.  I was observant in the lives of my older siblings as they went from childhood to adulthood.  I observed mistakes made, consequences given and lessons learned.  I tried to remember and apply those things in order to make my progression easier.  I became a parent of two after I grew up and married.  I began to experience first hand the trials of parenthood.  I felt because I was involved in my children’s lives, and considered a good parent, my children were great kids.  I thought they were prepared,  knowledgeable and deserved their privacy and the right to express themselves.  I had no idea  I was living on the surface, in denial, I was not aware of “teen world”.

When I became a police officer my eyes were opened to a new world.  The way I was raising my children began to change.  For the first time, my eyes were opened and I became afraid.  No one could have ever told me that a child could be popular and outgoing during the school day.  Only to live a life of sexual abuse when they returned home after school.  I found it hard to believe that a football player, who all the girls loved wouldn’t go out on a date with any of the girls at school.  Later to find out it was because he was molested by his aunt as a child, which resulted in his hate for women.

Such stories are now commonplace in the world today.  Everyday a newspaper or television news program somewhere, carries another report of violence.  For many teens, violence is now a way of life.  As parents, we can protect our children from some of the unnecessary hurts and disappointments.  I know we would like to protect them from everything, but we can’t stop all of the injustice done against them.  But, if we can limit the world’s access to them, we cannot only prevent teen violence but the things that contribute to it.  We can allow more of our children to become happy, productive adults. My prayer is that this book will open the eyes and sharpen the senses to what really happens in the lives of our children.