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Thank you... lucyjoy, there are concerns I'm having right now. I'm trying to keep things in perspective. Having worked in RTC's for years and taught in self contained BD rooms, I'v worked with kids with all kinds of issues and labels. I've talked to several people and have not asked if I can speak to former parents yet... as he has had a disrupted adoptive placement... hmmm! I would like to talk to his teachers as well as they do spend a lot of time with the kids and their opinion is important to me.
There's a lot I haven't posted about "A". The young man who I was a mentor for many years ago and he and his girlfriend had a baby and (with parents concent) allowed them to stay in my home right before and after the baby was born. He had quite a laundry list of diagnoses (ODD, Conduct Disorder, ADHD, Depression, Anxiety) and was on 4 medicines. Yes, he was a handful. He did run from school, he did punch walls... before I knew him he was abandoned by his father, mother, was in an RTC, several hospitalization placements, suicide attempts, cutting himself, fire starting, animal cruelty, destroying property, stealing from the mall... and the list goes on. I saw lots of behaviors and he went everywhere with me... we argued and he whined about helping with chores and going to school. I did feel I was making a difference - he did make improvements - slowly. He is one of my greatest success stories. It wasn't all me, but I KNOW I played a BIG role in his life. Now he is done with high school, works two jobs, does not drink or do drugs (found out from an inside source), and is a loving, caring father of a two year old...
My concern is that I'm trying to "replace" him in my life. This new child hasn't been responsible for half the behaviors "A" has, but I also knew "A" better and knew more about his history. I'm trying to learn as much as I can and be as informed as possible.
Thanks for the information and support. I've been to the radzebra site once, I do need to check it out again.
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Kerby
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