Do you notice a pattern? Day one and two of the school year. Darlene is cooperative, engaging, interested in learning. Trying hard. A joy to have in the classroom.
Day three.... her alter ego appears, unbridled. She enters the room with a loud, intrusive "Awwrruuppp!" She head butts me, grabs my waist and pulls hard. All day, she is in and out of the classsroom and the crisis room, unable, really, to sustain any sense of calm or focus.
Day four.....she is compliant, willing to work hard, alittle sleepy, but productive and loving.
Day five.... another screaming morning, tears, anger, lots of wild storytelling, off task, disruptive. Then grandma shows up.
"I went to the doctor and got her meds. Her mom wouldn't go and get the new refill, and she's been giving Darlene what was left on and off since school began."
Which explains the ups and downs.
We saw these kinds of cyclic, crazed behavior shifts ALOT last year, and now I feel mad that it might have been about the medication all along.
When Darlene is "off", our school day is often horrific. She certainly doesn't learn a damn thing on those days or weeks.
Grandma got sick of trying to get Darlene's mom to get off her butt and take care of her responsibilities. So she took care of it herself, with love in her heart, and with respect for both the little girl and for us. Thank God for that.
I should not be made to babysit kids who are prescribed medication, and are left without by negligent parents. It would be different if her mother had doubts about medication overall, that kind of thing. No, it's laziness.
And sadly, it's a fairly common occurence.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Here's one for the record books.
I called a student's home to tell the parent that the student was going to fail due to inattentiveness. The parent then goes on about how she's been alternating the amount of drugs the student was taking by opening the pills and putting more, or less of the drug in the capsule.
I didn't know what to do, so I made sure I covered my butt and informed the assistant principal.
Is that crazy, or what?
YEs, Fred, I agree.... it's crazy. And, arguably, child abuse.
No wonder we have a hard time getting through to some kids.
Post a Comment