[kay]

Just back from our family reunion, which went really well. My family (Dad's side) is large and crazy and fun. Lots of laughter. One of my cousins and his wife really took a shine to C - they hung with him, they laughed with him, they had heart-to-hearts - all good stuff. Of course I know he was shining them on, but I don't really mind - they live on the other coast, and it's not going to hurt them, and I figure at some point maybe some of this adult interaction might get through to C - at any rate, it can't hurt. But it cracked me up when another cousin (who knows better) told me that she'd been told what a great kid C is (true) and how he'd assured them he was going to do better (HA!) and how they were sure they'd connected on some deep level and had made a difference with him. I know that what was unspoken is that his problems are largely due to me - and I can accept that, I know they're clueless.

So we got back yesterday, he went out to see his friends, he was to be home by 10, he didn't come home all night. And I'm documenting . . . Sad as this makes me, I fear he won't be living at home after his court date in August. (Maybe I can ship him to Maine to live with Clueless Cousins???? )

It was sure tempting to stay longer, to go visit the other side of the family in Michigan (stopping in for a meal with Mike on the way) and just generally play hookey in the midwest. Sigh, being the Responsible One is just no fun!!!

[Original Mike]

It has been so hot and humid lately that it is just GROSS! Walking outside is like taking a sauna. Just this Saturday, I didn't even walk outiside untiol nearly 8pm and it was still horribly humid.


Maine does sound really good this time of year, though.


Mike

[kay]

Hot and humid, yuck! But restaurants are air-conditioned!!! And cars are air conditioned. And even O'Hare's a/c was keeping up to the challenge . . .

[chickymum]

Thanks for that!

My sister is visiting and she tries so hard to understand that my 'perfect daughter' has major issues that nobody can see. I just showed her what you just wrote and I told her to pretend that was me and my C. Exactly the same. LOL!

[lucyjoy]

I vote you ship the kid to the clueless cousins! Glad you enjoyed your time and found humor in the "deep bond" your relatives made with your son in that short time.

[aspenhall]

I too, vote for shipping him off to the clueless cousins!

My first manuever in regards to enlightening people, is to let them tend my dd for a few hours or a few days...

After that, they refuse to interfere or even give much advice...

[kay]

He and his friends were here when I got home from work. I really thought he was completely locked out, but he found a way in that didn't break anything. They all claimed they'd not been here, and I didn't believe any of them. I took his phone, and then he got really nasty and started calling me names. I went in the house and heard a noise; when I came back out again to go to the Y and swim, I found that he'd broken the side-view mirror on my new car. Called the police, they can't/won't do anything. Called the wraparound people, and they are looking into respite. I think once we go to court he will be gone, whether to juvie or someplace else, but that's 3 weeks away, and I don't want to live like this. There were some interesting videos on his phone (proving that the kids were liars) and I have a call in to his girlfriend's dad because I want to show them to him. If she were my daughter, I'd want to kill C, and my daughter would be grounded for life!!! Anybody want a helpful charming kid for 3 weeks? I'm guessing for at least part of that time he would truly be helpful and charming. Indy? Mike? Kerby?

[lucyjoy]

Police wouldn't file a complaint for property damage? Anything he has that you can sell for payment? Hope Gfriend's dad pays attention.

[waited2long]

Wow, he couldn't even last a day... I'm so sorry Kay. Hugs.

[AmyAnne]

My thoughts and prayers are with you, Kay

[Lylac]

Hugs kay!!

[kburch]

Ugh! Sorry C's continuing to be such a (fill in with things I can't actually say here). Sending and permission to as much as necessary...