For my internship I went with a child protection worker and one of the counselors to Gus house (A group home treatment center) to pick up a young man to take to a foster home since his family decided they didnt want him anymore and turned services and custody over to the state.
We get there and this kid is 13. He looks way familiar but I cant figure out where I have seen him before. He is clearly scared and nervous about this move. So, we are evaluating his needs and telling him about his new foster family. This kid, we will call him Doug, keeps looking at me and when we got in the car he kept checking what I was doing. Finally he says to me...
Doug :"You know my brother."
Me: "Do I?"
Doug: "Yep, you worked with him at the juvenile correction center. Do you remember (insert name here)?
Me: (Him and his brother are almost identical) "I remember him very well."
Doug: "He told me about you."
Me: Oh yeah, and what did he say?"
Doug: "He said you can be really nice and helpful and supportive...but if one of the kids you work with trys to hurt someone or run you turn into this beast woman!"
Me: (So, I am trying not to laugh, yet, feeling quite proud of myself) "Hmm, are you planning on running or hurting anyone?"
Doug: "No! I promise"
Me: "Well, then I guess you get the nice, helpful and supportive version of me today huh? If anything changes then you know what to expect!"
Doug: (He thinks for a minute) "I suppose your right. I have nothing to fear if I am being good and do my best. Hmm, maybe I should apply that to daily life. What a day!"
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So, I work in In school suspension at the local high school, and deal with a lot of students with difficult situations... (nothing as hard as what you do... but..) and I get that from the students... "Mrs. Moore is pretty chill, but if you lose her trust... she's scary."
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to be respected ... and feared if needs be. I'm glad you're enjoying working with the kids. :)