Articles about Parenting
Leaving Home
Tarnishing the family name

Many children who leave home bad-mouth their biological family.

The badmouthing is not necessarily intended to avenge any wrongdoing. It is more likely to be a way to preserve the child's dignity and ego.

The biological family is likely to hear about these accusations. They may be distressed by issues that seem to blemish or tarnish the family name.

The family honor may be an especially sensitive issue when one or more members of the family maintain a public position such as a community Rabbi or school teacher. Neighbors may be concerned about the extended impact of the child who leaves home. They would not want their children to suffer a similar fate. They may feel that contact with the public personage may be detrimental to their own children.

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