MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The case of a 25-year-old mother at the center of an AMBER Alert has many asking what resources are available for families who might be struggling with the pressures parenthood sometimes brings.
Jamisha Thomas is facing charges after she reportedly took off with her four children, ranging from 1 to 10 years old. Her children have been safely recovered.
Alexandria Morris works at Kindred Place, a community-based agency working to provide resources to strengthen the family bond. She says it’s difficult for a parent to be present for their children if they’re not showing up for themselves.
“I think it is very important to have these conversations, to seek help, to reach out,” Morris said. “Agencies like Kindred Place exist because we are here to help and because we don’t want to see families broken up. We want to be able to provide different resources so that the family is able to function properly, communicate and that parents are getting the support they need to be a support to their children.”
She says because of COVID a lot of parents are feeling isolated.
“We provide various resources such as psychoeducation, which would be our parenting classes, our parenting seminars, which provides different tips for parenting,” Morris said. “You know we don’t get a playbook on how to be parents, and so it’s good to have their different resources.”
They also provide individual therapy and family therapy.
“It is very important because you have to think about these are serious, important concerns, issues, and so it is very important,” Morris said. “Even myself as being a person who has all the tools, right? It is still difficult because I’m not void of being overwhelmed, I’m not void of being frustrated.”
