Tuesday, November 30, 2010

The Children In My Life

I have been homeschooling two boys along with my 8 year old...a 6 year old and a 9 year old.
Their dad moved here from Louisiana a few months ago..not sure what happened between him and his wife, but the boys have only spoken to her on the phone once or twice and only seen her once in the past year from what I understand.
There have been days that the boys came to school in a foul mood and I found out later that they had tried to call their mother and she didn't answer. She doesn't return their calls.
Not sure what is going on with their family, but its very sad. The dad works on the road and now has to spend a month in hattiesburg and then Meridian so this is their last week with us.
My heart really hurts for them. The youngest boy is a rough and tumble kind of manly boy, but he has a heart that really misses his mother...he is sad a lot and draws her pictures. (That she will probably never get.)
The older boy is quieter and more laid back, and worries about his dad a lot.
Today, the dad sent me a text at 330 saying he was going to be late. Long story short, he never showed up. Despite me repeatedly asking where he was, he only said stuff like "are the boys ok cause I'm not" and other things about how upset he is...I know he misses his wife and he's having a rough time with his having to travel and lack of stability for the boys. I think he might have been out drinking, but, to be fair, he could have been out somewhere just crying and sobbing. I am just speculating here...I have no clue where he is.
Around dinner time, neither boy wanted to eat and the youngest went into the bathroom and threw up. It just kills me because I know they are having a really rough time with missing their mother, their dad all over the place, going back and forth from here to Louisiana every other weekend to see their grandparents....their little lives have got to be stressful. Especially if their dad leaves and doesn't come back routinely when he goes out drinking. (I'm speculating here...this has happened one other time that I know of because the boys were with me.) I took the little one's temp and he was fine. Bathed both boys, put them in jammies, and put them to bed with my son. I read them all a chapter from our favorite homeschool book and tucked them in.
My son just came in and said the older boy was crying...I went in and the younger child was asleep already, but the other was curled up with the blanket over his head sobbing quietly. That just broke my heart. I kissed his forehead and stroked his hair and talked to him. He is worried about his Daddy and upset that his daddy did not tell them he was not coming or anything. I told him it was gonna be ok and that his daddy needed to clear his head about some things and that his daddy was sad about being on the road so much and about leaving.
I don't know if that was too much to tell a 9 year old, but I believe in being honest with children. I told him its not his fault and it will be ok and get some sleep.
These boys are hurting.

Lord, please be with these boys and their father and try to help him get his life straightened out....and please be with me tomorrow so I don't let my anger get the best of me and give that man a tongue lashing he'll never forget for abandoning his boys tonight.

Give them sweet dreams, please, Abba.

2 comments:

  1. ((Katie)) such a sad situation all around; I feel for those two little ones; forced to grow up before their time, subjective to feelings and thoughts they can't quite comprehend. I am glad you were there to help them at least for tonight. I'm thinking their dad trusts you so very much that he feels "comfortable" leaving his little ones with you. God is right there with you; I too pray they have sweet dreams tonight.

    betty

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  2. Well, I busted that trust apparently....he texted to apologize and I told him don't apologize to me, apologize to your sons...one threw up and one cried himself to sleep.
    He showed up drunk to pick them up. I threatened to call the police if he drove them, so he let them ride with me...once I saw the kids safe in bed he walked me out and told me I would never see them again because I had come between him and his kids.
    I told him that was sad for his kids and he needed to quit drinking and get his crap together.
    Don't know if I handled that situation as well as I could have, but I was so angry at his selfishness and taking the boys out of bed in the middle of the night to drive them home drunk. I was very protective and very angry.

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