Reply to Chronic absenteeism and truancy in DC

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Also CPS in DC is not removing kids from some traumatic and terrifying situations that would stun, absolutely stun, you. I imagine it’s because they would not have anywhere to put all the kids they ought to remove. One of my child’s best friends has two parents in the home who constantly do drugs, beat each other up, leave the kids home alone, and CPS has been aware/involved for years but ultimately does nothing. It’s like because it’s a two-parent home they think it’s ok. Of course, the kids are truant. [b]I was sad about the situation, then heartbroken, now just angry.[/b] How can this go on and on? The parents don’t give a shit and will never change. The school admin keeps close tabs on the kids and gives lots of emotional support but things have only ever gotten worse. And I see how there is a contagion… my son was refusing to do homework because his friend in this household had done zero homework all year, not once not ever, and my son basically decided homework was for suckers. I can push back when it’s just this one friend, but imagine being in a school where this is the norm, how can u expect kids to show up? I cannot believe what goes on in households in terms of abjectly refusing to raise the children in any way, without consequence.[/quote]

The bolded resonates with me because I've gone through a similar journey regarding some of teh family situations of my kids' friends and classmates. I started out just feeling empathetic and sad but you hit a point where you just feel rage at what these kids are losing due to have parents who are basically nonfunctioning and do not care. Kids who are hungry all the time and verbally and sometimes physically abused regularly and are just being give no shot at life. I understand the generational disadvantages that can lead to this and I try to approach people with empathy but there was a point where it just ran out and now I just have anger for parents who do this to their kids and don't understand that they are just sentencing their children to identical or *worse* lives to their own by just not giving a damn.

I grew up in a home with a lot of abuse and neglect and it took me a long time to feel like I could have a kid and not pass that on to them and even now that I'm a parent so much of my energy goes to giving my child what I didn't have growing up. I view it as the greatest challenge but also the biggest accomplishment of my life. I'm not really professionally accomplished and I'm not rich or some pillar of the community or shining social star. But I'm a good mom and my kid is getting what she needs. I see people who just don't even care about trying at this and it makes me mad.[/quote]

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