Giving Jaxon His Childhood Back

August 24, 2026

Many of the young people at Mercy Home come to us from homes where they received little support or guidance. Sadly, there are many parents who are not very interested or involved in the lives of their children. This was the case with one of our young men, Jaxon.

Jaxon was used to taking care of himself. His mother was in high school when Jaxon was born, and showed little interest in being a mom. When she wasn’t working, she was often out with friends or men she was dating. Jaxon felt like he was, at most, an inconvenience to his mom.

As a result, Jaxon knew he could never really depend on his mother. He learned at a very early age how to do everything from making meals for himself to doing the laundry to transporting himself to school. His mom never helped him with his homework, took him to fun places like the park or the movies, or tucked him into bed at night.

When Jaxon began high school, he was almost totally self-sufficient. He had begun to take care of most things around the house, including paying bills and grocery shopping. Because his mother’s lack of involvement and immaturity had been something Jaxon dealt with since he was young, he never considered things could be any other way.

Despite the many responsibilities Jaxon had on his shoulders, he still excelled in school and was well-liked among his peers. Sometimes he felt overwhelmed over taking care of a household or sad about his mother’s lack of interest in his life, but he tried not to let it get him down or dwell on what he didn’t have.

Things probably would have gone on like this until Jaxon graduated high school, but everything changed when his mother’s boyfriend moved into their apartment. He and Jaxon’s mother fought constantly, and sometimes the fights got physical. When his mother’s boyfriend began acting aggressively toward Jaxon, especially when he tried to protect his mom, Jaxon struggled between wanting to leave the home or stay to make sure his mother didn’t get hurt. Despite her lack of involvement, Jaxon loved her and felt protective of her.

Jaxon didn’t feel comfortable confiding in anyone, so he turned to the internet to look for resources. When he heard about Mercy Home, he was very interested. And after reaching out to our admissions department and touring our Home, Jaxon knew that Mercy Home was the best place for him—and the best resource for his mom as well. He moved in shortly after.

Living at Mercy Home was a big adjustment for Jaxon. He wasn’t used to having someone always checking in on him and holding him to a specific schedule. And he really wasn’t used to having anybody who cared about him.

With a little time, Jaxon began to thrive at Mercy Home. He grew close to many of my coworkers and constantly expressed surprise that they cared about him. He was also relieved that many adult burdens were lifted from his shoulders and that he no longer had to be in charge of managing a household. In many ways, Mercy Home truly gave Jaxon his childhood back.

This is why I am so grateful to loving Partners in Prayer like you—you allow us to make these tremendous changes possible in the lives of our kids. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your friendship.

Please note: Because we care deeply about protecting our children’s privacy, the names and certain identifying details in this story have been changed.