Moms on the Mesa

It was a tough day for some mothers from this mesa.  I don't want to be judgmental and would love to figure out how to help young and struggling mothers - All of these situations and conversations happened today.  I did my best to counsel with each mom:

I met with a mother that cannot get her children to school.  Three sons and a daughter, plus mother and boyfriend live in a one room motel turned apartment.  I guess you might guess the challenges this environment creates for the children getting homework done and getting to school each day rested and ready to go.  I am skeptical that this mother can turn this around, but she did take my advice; she found her 9th, 8th and 7th graders (who were not in school today) and took them down to the City Attorney.  I suggested that she have him speak to her children directly so they understand the degree of trouble she has coming her way if she cannot get the children to regularly attend school.  I also asked her to seriously consider other arrangements for the children so they have a better environment.  No doubt this will be a difficult decision and solutions are easy said than done, but something must change for this mother's children - they deserve better.

I spoke on the phone today to a mother who doesn't know where her son is right now.  He is three classes away from graduating.  We've spoken many times in the past; she is a victim of domestic violence and her children are all paying the price.  It's hard not to think, "Why does this young child have to deal with this?"

I spoke to another mother today who wants to know why she received a letter from the City Attorney regarding her daughter's attendance.  Her daughter has missed over 100 periods of school this semester. The older brother dropped out of school last year: gifted, depressed, inconsolable. The 10th grade daughter is raising the infant sister because the mother suffers from post partum depression and has not bonded with her baby . . . to be continued.

I spoke to an older sister of a student who has not been coming to school the last three weeks.  She didn't know where the mother was.

I spoke to a mother who asked if it was true her son was not going to graduate this Saturday.  He has missed his required PE class 28 times out of 45 days.  He's raised himself and his younger siblings, but for some reason that I don't quite understand yet, he sabotaged his own graduation by not completing this one credit.  Maddening, but I know this is not about or for me, it's about a young mother who couldn't seem to parent when her children needed her and a son who has a different view of the world than my son or probably yours.

I started this blog because my old blog was getting to be a downer - dropout prevention has a way of doing that.  But today, I just couldn't shake the feeling that I have to try to do something else - but what? 

Today my view from this mesa was filled with mothers: struggling and absent, confused and ambivalent.  Last Sunday, Halmark cards most likely went to mothers who are already happy.  The rest don't need cards, they need help!