26. Having one parent who is a hoarder and the other who isn’t can cause problems.
“Throughout my childhood, my father was a hoarder. Owing to a divorce (before his hoarding tendencies developing), he only had partial custody of me, but it fucked me up for years. Most sites allow you to make an anonymous tip if you are concerned about the child. Furthermore, if you’re a family, they would transfer the child to you (or another family member) rather than put it in the system. Contrary to common opinion, social workers do not choose to separate children from their homes and communities, and instead seek other options before doing so.”
A Reddit user tells a story that is all too familiar, not just about hoarding. Many families that you would consider unsuitable hold their children the majority of the time. It is very typical for a child to stay at home as long as you provide basic needs – food, water, and shelter. Unfortunately, it can instill bad habits in children, such as hoarding, and cause them distress later in life. It can manifest in various ways, ranging from social anxiety to anxiety about acquiring more possessions or disposing of something.
