I am done with difficult children for the weekend.

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
I'm not just talking about my own child. I am so sick and tired of my difficult child students as well. I set up meetings with the parents and principals, which most of the time makes little to no impact on these kids. I report non attendance to some of these kids' probation officers. It doesn't do much good, because the officers fail to follow through with threats to put them in a locked down facility even when they refuse to go to school. The kids don't take it seriously. I collaborate with teachers, parents, and administrators, and some of these difficult child kids still don't get it. They will never graduate, and they just don't care.

Tuesday I had an incredibly stressful day at work. I had 71 phone calls to make to parents of habitually truant kids. I have terrible social anxiety, and the phone is the absolute worst. I had to do my job under a whole lotta pressure, with anxiety attacks and chest pains the whole way through. Some of the parents were grateful for my calls, and some were downright mean, rude, and nasty. Some even called me a liar, like I have nothing better to do but call up parents of these innocent kids with great attendance and make up stories of them not coming to school.

To make matters worse, I had my own difficult child blowing up my phone with calls and texts, because she was refusing to go to school. She felt a little nauseous. We already had OUR meeting with the school principal last month. The principal made it loud and clear to both of us that a little nausea was not a valid reason to stay home. difficult child has only been to school about a quarter of this year so far. She is already not graduating on time. The principal told difficult child she needs to come to school regardless, and if she still feels sick at school, the nurse will evaluate her and send her home if necessary.

difficult child was demanding that I call her in sick on Tuesday, and I refused. She was calling my cell phone which I refused to answer. I had just been given the huge list of calls to make at work. I was seriously stressing. She texted me f*** you you're a b****h and I hate you. That's when I turned off my cell phone and focused on making all those dreaded phone calls. The school principal later drove to my house and dragged difficult child's butt to school. That makes it three, yes three, times the principal has had to pay a home visit and take my lovely daughter to school.

The other two days this week? My mom had to take her. So she missed the bus every single day this week. Twice she got up, got dressed, and went back to bed and fell asleep so she missed the bus. Another day she misplaced her only pair of shoes and couldn't get on the bus. My mom had to take her to Payless and buy her another pair of shoes, then take her to school. difficult child has missed all of her first three classes every single day this week.

I have had enough. Enough of the difficult children. My kids are going to their dad's for the weekend. My boyfriend got movie passes from his parents for Christmas, and we are going to use them tomorrow night. Seeing a movie in the theater is a rare treat for us. Tickets are so darn expensive nowadays that we can't afford to see brand new movies. Normally we stay home and find something to watch on cable on the weeekends. I am going to thouroughly enjoy this three day weekend as much as possible. Come Tuesday, the stress begins again. On the first day of every week is when I have to make those horrible dreaded phone calls at work. And who knows what my own difficult child will pull next. No matter. I am putting everything out of my mind for now and I am going to have a stress free weekend if it's the last thing I do!
 

helpangel

Active Member
If nothing else (when making those dreaded phone calls) know that you aren't the only parent having difficulty getting the kid to go to school on time.

What might help I have baskets next to front door, one for each person to put shoes, clothes, backpack (everything they need in the morning) right there the night before. I'm not a morning person (feel my way along the walls to the coffee) and I try to not have to think any more then necessary in the morning.

Enjoy your peaceful weekend and take your big mom purse filled with munchies when go to the movies.
Nancy
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
Last week I felt so bad and so worn down that I actually thanked easy child for going to school every day when I picked him up one afternoon. difficult child wasn't in the car with us. I never would have said it in front of her. But seriously I am so grateful to my son, and others like him, for doing what they're supposed to do. easy child looked at me like I was a crazy woman, and increduloulsy asked, "Why are you thanking me for going to school every day? Thats' something I should be doing anyway. Why would you thank me for doing what I'm supposed to?"

What a great kid. Every kid should have his attitude, but unfortunately they don't. He seriously has no idea. He isn't in high school yet. I'm sure that in a year's time, he will understand that not every kid goes to school just because it is expected of them. I just hope and pray he continues to love school and continues to take pride in having perfect attendance and good grades.
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
The weekend didn't go exactly as planned. My boyfriend decided he didn't want to go to the movies after all. He said that since the movie he wants to see is a new release, he didn't want to go when it's crowded. I don't know why he didn't think of that before he promised me we were going, but no matter. At least I had a peaceful difficult child free weekend. Now they're back, I'm back to work, and the anxiety is back to it's good old self.
 
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