>How far would you go for your child? We’ve had some challenging, even difficult, times with our children, and I’ve had some tough times dealing with the special education staff working with my child…a not-so-comfortable task, since I teach in the same district. Let’s look at this from another angle, though.
I posted yesterday after a frustrating day of teaching. I deal with more in a single day than ER or Grey’s Anatomy would if the shows were set in the psych wing. Really, folks, I can’t (and won’t try to) diagnose anyone, but there are symptoms of all kinds of serious problems just bouncing around my school building, dressed in Hello Kitty and Tony Hawk. Certain parents, IMHO, haven’t gone far enough.
I kept seeing little (thank goodness, not front page news) blurbs about Britney Spears losing custody of her children. Teachers are mandated reporters; if we suspect any neglect or abuse, we are required by law to report it. After that, it’s up to the folks at protective services to assess the case and figure out if the kids are safe or not. If not, they determine what kind of action is necessary.
Britney’s kids are not near school age yet. They’re not in regular day care, either, another field where the teachers are mandated reporters. Fortunately, the children had an advocate in the form of their father, and he had enough money to take this to court himself without waiting for the wheels of public service to turn. Now all involved need to hope that he will do right by his kids.
Unfortunately, Brit doesn’t seem to have a support network that will help her get her act together and learn how to be a mom. She can’t do it alone. Who will step up to be her mentor? How far will her family go to help her, and ultimately help her children?
How far would you go for your kids? I hope I never need to know the real answer.
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>I feel so sorry for those little boys, even though they’ll be living with their father he’s not exactly a sterling example or model of good behavior.
>It does appear to be a bit strange.
As a mum i would go to the ends of the earth for my children – and i have!
>If she had proper support, how different her life would be.
I too would go to the ends of the earth for my children, but I know not all moms are like that. My mom, whom I love, was not like that. She allowed her children to be in harms way. I often wonder what does or does not “click” in a mother’s brain, what causes a mother to be detached from her kids.
I cannot imagine what you, as a teacher see daily in the eyes of the children. How frustrating it may be to know some of those children need more parental help than they are getting.
>Where are her parents to help support her? When does a parent stop being a parent? I know I get upset when my mother gets involved in my life but I know that I need her to help me with my son and I ask her to help me. With his special needs I need her.
If her children were somehow damaged early in life by neglect or malnutrition she is seeing the after effects of it already and is having a difficult time dealing with it. Those children are unattached and hurting. How can a damaged girl deal with that?