Tuesday, January 08, 2008

When Things Just Don't Go Your Way

Salinda has a dream. She wants to visit a boy she met at public school while she was living in residential treatment. He seems like a really nice kid, and I don't have a problem with him at all.

Except that it is 75 miles round trip and she doesn't have a ride or a place to stay. She has been at one of the computers in the house and I have been at mine and we have been having the same conversation over and over again.

No, you can't stay at the boys house. It isn't going to happen. Not only do we have that rule, but your Probation Officer, social worker and therapist would never go for it. And you don't have a ride. You have to be back for work crew on Saturday.

This conversation has been, in several variations, a constant one for almost 2 hours. And because it is online, i can keep having the same conversation without getting as frustrated.

I feel bad for her. A few bad choices and she has paid dearly. Detention. Residential Treatment. House Arrest. Probation. And now work crew that is filling her Saturdays. She is behind in all her classes and had to drop one.

She is really trying hard, but sometimes it's a long climb. She is desperate to make this trip and her unwillingness to give up and let it go is exhausting. She just can't accept no.

And the biggest criticism that I got from the professionals is that I wasn't strict enough. So now that they are constantly watching my every parenting move, I cannot back down.

And thus, after two full hours of attempting to patiently reason with her, I am exhausted.

I want to go to bed but Bart is still not home.

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