Dave's Hurting & Mad!

I am doing an alternative to our usual tutoring program with some help from our interns so we decide to hook up at McDonalds with about 10 teens and 10 little kids. As I am calling up a few of the families to get the kids I discover through one of my favorite grandmas that three of my kids have been kidnapped by their wayward mom. I work with a lot of youth that come out of marginalized families. I knew that this day might come but didn’t expect to hear this news.

I can remember a year ago that this mom had asked to do community service because of some court violation. She initially expected me to just sign off for 60 hours of help without doing anything. I tried to explain to this mom of more kids than most families that I couldn’t do that. I want back over the fact that the court could ask for specific dates, times and locations. I made it clear that I wasn’t going to lie whether or not I cared for her 3 kids that I see all of the time not counting the other 7 she had birthed.

She doesn’t follow through so I assume that she either lied or someone else helped her get her hours. Just as I thought she had disappeared she resurfaces and asks again if I will just give her a letter stating that she had done her hours. This time she had her boyfriend with her who attempted to persuade me that I should do this. I again reminded her that the first time I said no to her request and that this time the answer was just the same – NO. I was offended that she would use her boyfriend to strong-arm me to lie and cheat on her behalf.

A couple of weeks pass away and now after her last extension for her community service she is desperate. I explain that I’m sorry that she is in this mess but it isn’t my fault and that she had ample opportunity to help out and get her 60 hours. I come up with a plan that I hope she will actually do. I tell her that she needs to take back her 3 kids for a couple of weeks to give her grandma a break from the action of being her kids caregivers. After talking with grandma this becomes a great opportunity to fulfill her community service.

So now do a fast-forward to a year plus later and I’m angry and overwhelmed that this mom would kidnap her or I should say grandma’s kids. Grandma and grandpa without all of the drama, drugs or violence have raised these drug kids. So what do I do? I know that my wife would talk about getting a hired gun but that is just crazy talk. I have to finish as I have a meeting to think out loud about what course of action to pursue. I know that CPS might step up. I so much want the best for my three little guys who are growing up! I miss them so much! I want the best for them.