Friday, March 09, 2007

Giving In for the Greater Good

I have a child who wants to change schools. This is the 3rd person this year who has had this plan. We let one person change schools when we realized that it just wasn't going to work. We said no to the second who managed to get himself into treatment and win. The third time I really don't agree with the decision, but I believe the child has potential and I don't want force misbehavior in an attempt to get their way.

So, I spent the morning on the phone with the therapist and my husband and I made a list of twenty questions that have to be answered. I made a list of guidelines -- your changing schools cannot cost us more time or money, it will require additional maturity on your part, etc.

And now the questions must be answered and a well thought out plan presented. The saddest piece is that I truly believe that wherever we go there we are.

I read a story a long time ago that has really stuck with me. It was a little boy who was afraid of a monster that kept chasing him everywhere. No matter where he went the monster followed him. Finally, he decided to hide in a closet and when he got in there he realized he'd locked himself in the closet with the monster.

You see, we are our own monsters. Happiness does not come from what is going on around us. And when we run away, we take ourselves with us.

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