Did I not do enough as a mom
I have 3 kids and I have always done my best to be the best mom I could be. My husband died 8 years ago and I worked to hard as a single mom and widow. So I was shocked when 3 years ago my son who was 17 ran away from home. I didn't know why. He had started pulling away a bit and being out of the house more but we didn't have any type of conflict or fight. I called the police and since he was 17 they didn't take it as seriously. At least that's how I felt. I reached out to his friends and tried to find him and I couldn't and didn't hear from him for 3 years and it killed me. He showed up at my house yesterday and he told me just got out of a 6 week rehab program and he's trying to stay clean. When we were able to sit down and talk I asked did he run away because he was on drugs. He said no. He started drugs several months after running away. I asked why he ran away and he told me he's gay. And that he had met someone. It was the volunteer coach on his baseball team who was almost in his 30's and he convinced him he had to run away because his whole family would disown him if they found out he was gay. I said that's not true. I would never disown you and he said that's what he thought but he kept hearing it and got scared so he decided to leave. This person was doing drugs and convinced him to try drugs and eventually the relationship turned to sexual violence and forced prostitution. He was able to get help and get out and he wanted to get clean before talking to me..I cried and I'm wondering what did I do to make him think I wouldn't love him if he was gay? I was always open minded. My kids definitely knew who I voted for every election. I thought had always shown that I would love and accept them for who they are. I'm wondering where I went wrong to where he thought I wouldn't and has now been through so much pain because he didn't think I would. Where did I go wrong as a mother?
Edit: I'm really not trying to make my son's trauma about me. I want to support him in his sobriety and any advice on how would be great!
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