davidjpowell
MB Enthusiast
Not the growing kind. I've though long and hard about making this post, and have decided that it's worthwhile as it may open a few eyes.
As some know, I have a 15 year old stepson, who has been a little challenging on occasions.
His dad lives 200 miles away - we moved about 7 years ago. He's a charming chap, who has punched me in front of the lad (he was7 then), and while nice as pie when things are going his way, he cannot control his emotions, and the slightest thing will set him off...
3 years ago the lad was going progressively off the rails at school, and we as usual got no support from his dad, who wanted the boy to live with him. My partner at this point decided that perhaps as a teenage lad this would be good for him and reluctantly agreed. I'm going to skip a bit now - but he came back up to us last year, as his dad's marriage broke up and he works nights.
Since coming back up we've had surprisingly minor issues until recently, when we were called into school to discuss his mood swings, which at their extreme were frightening teachers.
It was difficult to take note of this - until we saw it in person. Eyes wide open, panting, pacing, really genuinely losing it. I got it under control by getting him to sit down - otherwise he would have lost it.
After speaking to lad, school and various agencies, its become apparent that he has been smoking weed. It's really not got on with him, although apparently he started at his dads so it's taken time to mount up.
While it's been a shock, and it's hard to deal with its easy to explain away that he comes from a broken home etc. What has become apparent to me though is a huge number of kids are doing this stuff.
And it's not just kids like the lad - his best mates parents are perfectly stable, very responsible, and have the same issue - in fact their lad was 'sharing' with our lad at a time when his allowance had been cut right down to reduce his ability to purchase.
The lads bumped into a neighbours kids, who is a similar age, but goes to a private school with again very professional background. He smokes dope too...
It's a dangerous world out there and it's ever so easy to be complacent - those with kids keep an eye out - it's hard to spot!
As some know, I have a 15 year old stepson, who has been a little challenging on occasions.
His dad lives 200 miles away - we moved about 7 years ago. He's a charming chap, who has punched me in front of the lad (he was7 then), and while nice as pie when things are going his way, he cannot control his emotions, and the slightest thing will set him off...
3 years ago the lad was going progressively off the rails at school, and we as usual got no support from his dad, who wanted the boy to live with him. My partner at this point decided that perhaps as a teenage lad this would be good for him and reluctantly agreed. I'm going to skip a bit now - but he came back up to us last year, as his dad's marriage broke up and he works nights.
Since coming back up we've had surprisingly minor issues until recently, when we were called into school to discuss his mood swings, which at their extreme were frightening teachers.
It was difficult to take note of this - until we saw it in person. Eyes wide open, panting, pacing, really genuinely losing it. I got it under control by getting him to sit down - otherwise he would have lost it.
After speaking to lad, school and various agencies, its become apparent that he has been smoking weed. It's really not got on with him, although apparently he started at his dads so it's taken time to mount up.
While it's been a shock, and it's hard to deal with its easy to explain away that he comes from a broken home etc. What has become apparent to me though is a huge number of kids are doing this stuff.
And it's not just kids like the lad - his best mates parents are perfectly stable, very responsible, and have the same issue - in fact their lad was 'sharing' with our lad at a time when his allowance had been cut right down to reduce his ability to purchase.
The lads bumped into a neighbours kids, who is a similar age, but goes to a private school with again very professional background. He smokes dope too...
It's a dangerous world out there and it's ever so easy to be complacent - those with kids keep an eye out - it's hard to spot!
