Toxic Parents

In class, a "sucky parent" has been brought up more than once.  A New York Times article describes those kinds of parents as "toxic."  We hear all sorts of stories about bad parents, parents who physically abuse their children, parents who neglect their children and some who emotionally abuse.  Although some toxic parents  leave don't actually physically abuse their children, I think that we can all agree that any sort of neglect can be considered 'toxic.'  In the movie Matilda, the young heroine's parents are more concerned with their lives rather than the well being of their child.  In the end of this film, Matilda (the protagonist) discovers that she has magical superpowers and ends up being adopted by her grade school teacher who was also victim to a toxic guardian.  However this is only a story, and as we know children who have sucky parents usually don't have such a happy ending.  The article bring to light that in almost any other abusive relationship, there is a way out for the victim.  However, a child cannot escape their parents.  Few children are able to break the cycle of toxicity.  How do you think a child can escape a toxic parent?  Can they do it on their own, without any magical powers?