Does difficult child qualify for treatment at a free clinic, or through the public health department?
If you could find those phone numbers for next time, then you can tell difficult child that, until she is on her feet financially and has a job with medical and dental care, these services are available to her.
I would try to be as non-judgmental as I could.
difficult child is doing so much better than she was last year at this time. That does not mean you should let your guard down, or forget the hard lessons YOU have learned. difficult child had to be aware of these reduced cost or free medical programs already. So my concern would be that you respond appropriately without buying into any of difficult child's power plays.
Stay clear on which are the behaviors that have worked well for this child in the past, Kathy. She IS so much better than last year, but she still has such a long way to go.
Her behavior smacks a little of manipulation to me. She has the knowledge and experience to have accessed free medical care on her own, doesn't she?
So, was there an ulterior motive in eliciting your attention in the way that she did?
And more importantly, what is coming next?
It isn't nice, and it doesn't feel right, to think about our own children like that, I know. Maybe I am wrong about this. If there is something fishy going on, and you can steer difficult child clear of it and into a better direction though, that would be a good thing.
Keep posting about it, Kathy.
I get the feeling you already know something more is in the works with difficult child?
Barbara
