Why they are not equipped to handle my son

Friday will be my last day teaching Kindergarten and Preschool.

For now.

I’m sad.

I will miss my 4, 5, and 6 year-olds. A. Lot.

But I know it’s what is necessary.

It comes not out of the want to stop teaching, but the need to better meet Jeremiah’s needs. The school he is attending, the one I am currently teaching at, has recently realized the tip of the trauma that Jeremiah has gone through and what behaviors that trauma produces. They feel ill-equipped to say the least.

The following is an excerpt of a conversation with a friend of mine after he asked why the school felt they couldn’t meet Miah’s needs…

Question: What do you think they might need to be equipped for Jeremiah?

Answer: People. I suggested in all seriousness that they take you on as a school social worker. They just don’t have the budget right now. Grrrr! In my conversations with Mrs. V., I explained to her that all Jeremiah needs is a place with nothing breakable to cool off until he comes to his senses. He is not dangerous. He is not going to murder anyone. All he needs is a place where he is not going to receive negative attention. The response: We don’t have anyone who could supervise him.
Great answer. GET SOMEONE! Sorry, venting.

The other issue is that he is working at a 2nd grade level, but can’t be trusted to be with the 2nd graders, even if he would tolerate that, because he was caught showing some inappropriate drawings to classmates. The only difference between him and multiple other boys in the 4th and 5th grade classes is that he doesn’t have the sense to not show those pictures around.

So again, basically they are overwhelmed because they have never dealt with a child like Jeremiah before.

But they will.

Especially if they are trying to operate as a ministry to families that need a Christian education for their kids, instead of a pretty people’s club.

There’s that darn soap box again.

Thank you for understanding. For wanting to understand.

Blessings!

Hannah

So there’s the rub. It sucks in a lot of ways, but I am also excited at the prospect of homeschooling Jeremiah for this season in his life and helping bring about the healing he so desperately needs. After a year and half or so of concentrated mom-teach time, I am hoping that he might be at the place where he can rejoin his peers in the small school environment again. Or maybe not. And if not, I will be okay with that. We will be okay with that.

So now…the homeschooling adventure begins!

So yes, I will be picking all your home-schooling-mama brains.

Blessings!

Hannah

Leave a comment | 2 comments so far (is that a lot?) | Tags: Adoption, behavior challenges, Being set apart, Education Everywhere, parenting, RAD, the hard stuff, The SAHM Adventure