another day, another dollar
So....I just spent the morning with a client and her mother who made me want to quit my job immediately and never work in social services again. I help take this girl and her mother to her psychiatrist appointment(the girls) because mom does not have a driver's license. This girl in in 7th grade and has a terrible home life. For those of you in Kville a few years ago, you may remember hearing about the 5th grader who punched her principal in the eye..same girl. Anyways, they finish with their doctor's appointment and the mom asks me if i can take them to get the prescription filled and to a doctor's office because the girl does not want to go back to school because she did not finish her homework for that class. I tell her i cannot because i have another appointment and only have time to take them back to school and home. The girl starts throwing a huge fit in my car, screaming at the top of her lungs that she's not going back to school. I told the mom that I think she needs to go back to school but that it is her decision because she is THE MOTHER!!!!!! so we sit in the parking lot for about 15 minutes while the girl is screaming at her mom to call "f***ing chris and david" and the mom screaming back that they won't be "f***ing home". The girl screams at her mom to take her home and they will find someone to take her back to school after this class is over. Mom says things like " you will just bitch about being at home" while daughter responds (at the top of her lungs mind you), "that she will not bitch". So, what does mom decide to do? Have me take them both home and then take the girl back to school "after she gets something from home" which will conviently take enough time to miss her class. But whatever, she is the mother...Then after getting to her house, the girl throws a huge fit and refuses to go back to school. SO mom lets her stay at home...In defense of myself, i did, very loudly and firmly, tell the girl that she WILL NOT talk to her mother like that in my car and that she needs to stop being so disrespectful. I'm angry with the mother for not being a mother and letting her daughter act/talk/live like that and angry at the system for doing nothing about their long history of harmful behaviors. Surely there are good parents out there...right?
posted by Sam at 12:58 PM
3 Comments:
there ARE good parents out there. wow. sorry that you had to experience that situation. man, you are working in the trenches. literally on the frontlines of the world and all of its reality. i am glad that you are there though. you have a strength and gift to speak truth and give definition (and action) to Christ's love. i am sure it makes it difficult to go back to work tomorrow.
Yeah, some days are rewarding and others, well....are like today. How can you help a child when their parents are completely incompetent or indifferent? I know the child has some responsibility but it makes it a lot more difficult to not have a skewed view on life. Have to keep in mind that they need people not to give up on them.
Sam,
I totally want you to find me a job where you work. I've actually thought that before when talking to you. I've got 9 years' experience working with teenagers, some with very disturbing backgrounds. And I have a heart for kids. So keep an eye out, eh?
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