DawnMM
New Member
The place we sent our son includes a lot of support for the family. We just went to the first parent group meeting. It was so nice to see other parents in the same boat as us. Some parents kids were coming home, others were just dropped off. Everyone had fear, fear to leave their kids away from home (some are only nine years old), and fear to bring them home. The parents of the kid who was about to come home reminded us how they felt at the beginning - which was exactly how we feel. Sometimes I feel like placing him there was the easy way out, because it is so much easier without him home. Sadly, we could not help him at home. It was odd to listen to the parents talk about how their child was becoming the person they used to be. All the kids seemed to be good, and then go bad. My son was never, "good." He was distant, unattached, and stubborn as a toddler. Once he was school-aged be was downright mean and defiant. He doesn't even have a good place to return to. I don't know why I am babbling. I guess I wonder if my son changes, who will he be? Or will he not change at all because he has no reference point.
I just think it would be so hard for them to hide the abuse you talk about. We have parent meetings every six weeks (if my child was abused you can bet I would be at that meeting to tell others). My son comes home every six weeks for four to six days. All the parents at the meeting spoke positively about this place. The boys are not out in the middle of nowhere, they camp on their private 600+ acre property. The fact that this program was affordable makes me doubt their likely hood to be abusive, they do not make any money at this camp, it is a not-for-profit, church sponsored program. I just know I had to do something and this place felt right, time will tell.
