Holy Mackerel

The saying is "Time Flies When You're Having Fun" and yet the time has flown, but there was no fun to be had. I would like to say that I think it's unfair that just because time flies by I must be having fun. In reality, I have been completely miserable.

I had a student that I was working with and he was doing so great. He went to jail not to long ago for doing pot in the school bathroom. He's 12. I cannot even begin to tell you how crushed I was when I found out about all of it. I had dreams about this kid. He was finally making such great progress in school. I had him working with some University students, he was meeting with his mentor/teacher twice a week, he seemed to be doing really well. I just don't understand what happened. Well, aside from peer pressure I suppose. I sometimes wish I could save them from themselves.

I had a student last year and he was my drive-me-insane, difficult kid. I actually cried when he was withdrawn from school and hated his mom when she re-enrolled him three days later because she broke up with her boyfriend and moved back into the area. Why do some parents do the things they do to their kiddos? This particular young man is so smart, but he is bullied by his older brothers and doesn't believe he is worth anything. He still comes to see me though, so that makes me feel better.

There are times when I could look into a crystal ball and see where these kids end up. I already have my suspicions for some of them but I hate not knowing; I'm certain that I will likely never know about most of them.

I guess I wish that kids had a better chance than their parents let them have. So many children are wonderfully bright and capable, but their parents encourage them down bad paths or don't bother teaching what the good paths are. I kind of think of that Willie Nelson song "Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys." That song indicates that the Mama's are involved with their children. Something that is not seen so much today, at least from my point of view.