Reply To: Going off the Derech

Imaofthree-Although I can certainly understand the emotions behind why a parent might want to throw her child from the house, to actally act upon those emotions seems so horrific to me. And alhough it may be less stressful for the parents not to have a mechalel, chutzpahdik child in the home, unfortunately, I am convinced that it could push the child over the edge, since it is the ultimate rejection. And if we are to equate our feelings toward our parents with our feelings toward Hashem, how could this child ever return to a G-d they perceive to be rejecting? One family that my husband knows, did throw his son out of the house. He ended up finding a few different places to stay, as well as connecting with a few really bad influences, and is now using drugs. I’m sure this is not the intended result the father was hoping for.