My "Kids"

The school year has begun and I'm into it whether I want to be or not. My class is a crazy mix of kids. Even in the 7 years I've worked at the school the climate has changed drastically to very low socio-economic kids with a very mixed ethnic population. But beyond all that, this class feels way more needy. Here's some examples of the kids I'm working with this year. Keep in mind, they are 4, 5 and one 6 year old and there are 20 of them...

Less than 1/3 of the class listed fathers on their emergency cards.

There is one parent that is a college graduate.

One child is a foster child that I found out today, drinks out of the toilet because he was abandoned by his mom for 2 or 3 days, and he and his sister got their water that way. I thought he just had to go to the bathroom a lot.

One child had a 23 year old brother who was just murdered in January. Her mother doesn't have enough money to pay for counseling. The trial is set for October. Her mother wears a shirt with the brothers picture on it at least 3 times a week.

One child won't look me in the eye. He has started talking to me, however, in the last two days.

One little boy's dad is gone until Novermber and he's being raised by his Auntie, who I swear is only 19 or 20, the roommate and the next door neighbor. When I asked about mom, the aunt said she had no idea and didn't want to go there.

I have three families that are notorious in the office and seem to have made a name for themselves (crackhead, moosh mouth and nasty). Because they all seem to be "high" when they come in demanding help from us.

There are even more issues. I'm glad I can be one constant in their lives and I'm blessed to have healthy children of my own to love and raise in a caring, loving, SAFE environment. Life is crazy.