Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Peanut butter sandwiches and the future
I've had a fairly good week. Lots of interaction with kids, and lots of talking with other adults about interaction with kids. I sometimes wonder if attention-starved kids act out because, you know, you can get a pretty good number of adults stirred up quickly if you say and do the "right" things. But, on the other hand, we've got a little 7 year old guy at one school who right now, has several adult professionals discussing his situation every single day. "Nick" looks at me with those beautiful green eyes and grins...when he's feeling pretty good about things, he does alright. But his homelife is a disaster-he confided in me yesterday that he often times has to make his own supper consisting of a peanut butter sandwich, because the person he lives with doesn't bother to cook. He gets dropped off in the morning between 6:45 and 7:00am, for latchkey, so he eats breakfast and lunch at school. I would imagine that he fends for himself quite a bit in the evenings and on weekends. Nick has no mom or dad around - he lives with a relative, who has stated- "I really don't care where he lives, I guess I'll take care of him because no one else wants him." Nick often explodes in anger at school. He kicks walls, throws things, and a lot of time loses control of his emotions. He spends time in the principal's office and in the cool down room. IF he gets any learning done, it's sheer coincidence. A 7 year old boy with a dimpled grin and sparkling green eyes shouldn't have to worry about his next meal, or whether he has a place to sleep at night. I wonder if some day, those eyes will be looking out of a jail cell. Or closed permanently under a casket lid. I wonder.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
That is so heartbreaking! I like you am amazed at the situations some kids must deal with at home. And then we wonder why they have so much trouble in school!! I'm glad that there are people who do care for him and will do their best to make him feel safe while he is at school. One of my favorite students is also a boy named Nick, who is now in 6th grade. When he was in kindergarten, he was being raised by a single mom, who had found out that Nick had been abused by his grandfather. He was also abandoned by his father. I made up my mind that I was going to love that boy, even though he was a behavior problem. I had to be strict and give him consequences, but I did feel that I made progress with him. Last year, as a 5th grader, I would see him in the hallway and he would always give me a hug and say "hi". I spoke with his mom in a store and she said he is doing OK now. I am so thankful and grateful that I had a small part in his life. That is what makes the job worthwhile!!
-Deanna
Thank you both for what you do...you are indeed angels!
Post a Comment