Monday, October 22, 2007

Children living in fear

Tonight was another example of how different we parent than others.

The kids were here and they were playing outside in the mud and having fun. They needed to wash off and so they hosed off their feet but little J got her clothes wet.

It's bad enough that they *aren't allowed* to do anything fun, why do you think they spend every moment they can at my house?!

I got over yesterday, I am the neighborhood mom and my house is open to these kids.

She came to me upset because she was going to get in trouble. She wasn't dripping just her shorts and the bottom half of her shirt were wet, she kept trying to dry off with a towel. I let it go until it was time for them to leave. This little child was afraid to go home because she would get in trouble. I told her and her brother to just tell their mom what happened. They didn't think that was a good idea, I asked what would happen. Well he said that she could get a whooping, I said I was sorry and that I don't believe in spanking.

The fear in these kids is real, it's not the first time I've seen it. We talk sometimes, they ask me questions and I answer the best I can. I really have to watch what I say because they are living in this situation. I pray that an opportunity would arise where I would have the right words at the right time to say something.

It happens all the time in many homes, kids are afraid of getting in trouble.

I told Cassie after they left that she never has to be afraid to tell me something, she knows that but I needed to say it again.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

There was a little girl who got her socks dirty at school, and took them off and threw them in the trash because her mom would get mad at her for dirty socks.
I've never figured that logic out...wouldn't dirty socks be better than no socks? Not for them...apparrently (sp?) her mom wouldn't notice if the socks were missing, just complain about having to try to clean them.
Bleah.

Paige(RCU)