Those students that really get to you

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.

I work with a pretty vulnerable population, so I have definitely seen my share of heavy/difficult cases. I have a current second grade student who lost his dad to terminal cancer when he was in kindergarten. It happened very quickly- dad was diagnosed at the beginning of the Summer before Kindergarten and he died in November of that school year :( My student who is now in 2nd grade is the oldest. He has three other siblings (one was a newborn when the dad passed away). Mom works full time, has three jobs to make ends meet. She saved enough so they could move out of their tiny 1 BR apartment and found a much larger, nicer place. They arrived on May 1 to move in and the owner basically said "sorry, I gave it to someone else who is paying me more money per month". Mom was able to go to court with an advocate but they are only allowed to stay through May and then have to leave. So my little guy who is 8 was just brought down to my office, exhausted. He says to me "I just need to sleep for a little bit. I am SO tired. It's really hard being my dad" ? I asked him to tell me more and he said "I'm trying so hard to do what my dad did but it's too hard with school. I'm helping my mom with my brothers and sisters but I am too tired. I just need to sleep for a little bit". I had to excuse myself from my office and go cry in the bathroom. Seriously I just can't. Some of these kids today have NO idea how lucky they are and how easy they have it. I wish no kid would ever have to walk in this little guy's shoes. Ever. This will be on my mind for a long time.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

I often ask God why such things happen. To date He hasn't let me in on the answer. Just be there for the little dude, just as you are doing, and pray he will live to become an independent successful adult.

As you are aware, there are many ways the family can be assisted but embracing and settling this little guy into your heart is the big challenge at hand; and you can do it.

?

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Specializes in School Nurse.

? Excuse me while I go to the RR. With all we see throughout the day, it is easy to forget what some of these students are going through at home.

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
53 minutes ago, MHDNURSE said:

I I had to excuse myself from my office and go cry in the bathroom. Seriously I just can't. Some of these kids today have NO idea how lucky they are and how easy they have it. This will be on my mind for a long time.

Ahem. Well, my allergies got to me or someone's cutting onions. I have no idea how lucky I have it many days. Thank you for the reminder, and for being an awesome human.

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Specializes in kids.

Trauma. Informed. Care.

... in a nutshell

Gah, that poor lil guy...mean people suck and that landlord qualifies.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

? oh poor little kiddo.

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Specializes in pediatrics, School LVN.

Prayers to your little guy and his family. Our district has a 29% homeless rate. We have so many kiddos shouldering more than they should have to.

He's lucky to have you to talk to and a place he feel he's safe to rest without worry.

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Specializes in OB.

Sweet baby (and sweet nurse for caring about him)! What a great reminder about how lucky some of us (and our kids) have it.

I currently live in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. The public school we're zoned for is one of the worst-rated in the city, partly because there is a homeless shelter 2 blocks from us, and so all the kids staying at that shelter go there. They have something like a 60% student turnover rate from the beginning of the year to the end (can you imagine being a teacher and dealing with that??). My daughter is only 2 but we've struggled with what we will do when it's time for kindergarten---our area offers "school choice," so you can lottery into a better school if you don't like your zoned school. We may keep her in her private Montessori school which goes up to 2nd grade, we may not even live in this neighborhood at that time but if we do, sometimes I wonder whether the only way to help improve the school, as well as give my child a dose of the real world, would be for me and other more fortunate parents to send our kids there. Maybe if we all could rally around each other a little more like a "village," things could be a bit better.

Just musings from a mom who struggles with how to be a "good" parent, and whose heart breaks for all the little ones who have to suffer with terrible burdens daily.

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Specializes in school nursing.

Gosh. I just cried for him. ?

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Specializes in School nurse and geriatrics..

This made my heart and stomach hurt for them.

Give him a hug from me the next time you see him.

Nothing but positive vibes for him and his family and you for being there for him:)))

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Specializes in Dialysis.

As someone who lost a parent very young and had a mother that struggled to carry on. I can't tell you how much it meant to me to have a safe place at school with supportive adults who really helped raise me and my sisters.

Throughout the homelessness and my mother's drug abuse/arrests I successfully graduated high school near the top of my class. I am now a nurse of nearly 5 years. All of this was possible because of people like you.

This little one will grow up and remember the kindness and support you showed him and he will be stronger because of it.

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