Parents Threatening to take away Christmas

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.

:(

I am in a K and 1st grade school, inner-city, lots of social issues with our families. We have a few kids who act out sometimes, scream, hit teachers, throw furniture. A few of our teachers are restraint trained and we have a "cool down room" which happens to be right across the hall from my office. Anyway, yesterday a first grader spent a good hour in the cool down room kicking the wall, crying, screaming, etc. Eventually got himself together and was safe the rest of the day. New behavior for him (never once last year was this an issue with him). So mom shows up yesterday screaming at him and saying "Christmas is cancelled. Santa is no longer coming to your house and you aren't getting anything". *****! We all know that that is first of all totally horrible to say to a kid, and second of all, I am pretty sure that is an empty threat b/c I am sure she already has stuff for him and we very well WILL get gifts Christmas morning. Understandably he lost his everloving mind after she told him that and guess what? He is currently in the calm down room beating the crap out of a teacher and the wall, completely hysterical. And come to find out his sister who is in K is upstairs in the principal's office having a meltdown. Clearly there are issues going on at home. Thankfully we have an amazing staff and they will handle it, but it really makes me sad for the kids.

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I got nothing. Nothing at all. What a crappy thing.

*hugs*

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.

You need a license to drive, but anyone with a uterus and working ovaries can give birth.

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This is just sad:unsure:

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

It's been said before but, you have to have a license to drive a car but anyone can have children. You can't fix a situation like this; any intervention is only temporary. To refer to it as sad is a ridiculous understatement. I was getting out of my truck at the grocery store some months ago and I heard a woman screaming, obviously directed at someone else, dropping "F" bombs right and left, along with other choice curse words in a fit of anger. As I walked by I saw she was yelling at a toddler as he sat in a stroller while she loaded sacks of groceries into the car. My first thought was to hit her in the head with a shovel from the back of my truck and take the kid home with me but I realized that would probably not be a good idea. Anyway, similar situation as this...you can't fix it.

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I remember an incident, long before I had kids, that I think of often.

I was going into a restaurant and there was a family on the way out. A young boy (I don't remember how old, any where from 8-12. I didn't have kids so I had no reference point) was in his baseball uniform and carrying a small trophy. They were bustling out to the car and having this exchange:

Mom- Just get in the car. We're going. You think I don't have better things to do than go to this award night???

Kid- (small voice) I said you didn't have to....

Mom- let's go!!

I am by no means a perfect parent. I yell sometimes (more than I'd like to) I have made unrealistic threats (You will lose your phone for a month!) and I question my actions daily. But I think of this moment that I witnessed all the time. That poor young boy was so clearly used to his mom's attitude and I felt so sad for him. I wonder what he is up to now and what his relationship with his mother is like.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

This hurts my heart. I wish there were requirements to have children. *sigh*

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I'm sure you just needed to vent as your job seems eventful to say the least, but like you said inner city kids, lots of social issues with the families, the best thing you guys can do is give them a sense of stability and love while they are in your care, and report any abuse that might endanger the physical welfare of the child. I wish you Good Luck dipped in a bucket full of prayer power and patience!

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awful just awful! as long as there are crappy parents there are going to be problem children, who will likely then grow into crappy parents who have problem children, and on and on until forever. terrible to have to witness, so sorry for everyone!

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Specializes in kids.

That hurts my heart...I cant even imagine what it does to the kid.

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