Got a call from a group of neighbors...

[GoingNorth]

Ugh. I got to do the parachute towers at "Air Assault Days" at Ft. Campbell, except we rappelled down, in full Air Assault tradition.

Now, I'm terrified of heights. Stepping off that platform was one of the hardest things I've done in my life. I've rappelled a couple of times before, but that was off natural cliffs where you have the cliff face in front of you and can control and guide your movements with your feet.

When I ed to husband about the whole thing, all he said was "No one was shooting at you." Schmuck.

 

[HMBgal]

Well, my grandson has opened up to us about the incident(s). I hope he's telling the truth, but who knows. Usually when he finally gets over the melt-down stage, he will talk honestly. He assured me that he didn't show that stuff to any younger children, only two older boys, and he would NEVER show such things to girls or young kids. He was kind of horrified that I even asked.

I showed him the website that HopeFilledMama suggested (very good site!) and we looked through it together. That, along with the Technology Use Agreement he had to read for his new school district, answer questions about, and sign--lets him know the importance of his online responsibilities and how easy it is to get into trouble. I wish he had the social skills to be immune to this type of stuff, but he doesn't.

And he said that a young fellow in his class at school snuck a phone onto campus and the end of the school year (June of this year) and was showing this stuff to a group of boys (grandson included) at recess. And I'm sure the other boys thought this kid was the coolest kid on campus that day. I'm sure it happens a lot more than we want to know, but the difference is grandson has such a desperate need to be accepted by his peers that he did the same thing in the neighborhood. I asked him if he felt a strong pull to look at those videos and images, and he said no, they made him feel weird and bad. So, the discussion is open at least and he's willing to talk about it.

But he still isn't getting on tablets, which is probably one of the reasons he's being so cooperative right now. I was born in the morning, but not this morning.

 

[Malika]

How is it going with your grandson now, HMBgal?

 

[mof]

I think your open discussion is great. I think your ahead of the game know his mltivations.

No matter his social issues, all kids lose judgement when wanting to fit in our feel pressure.

I hope he finds a good friend who shares in a hobbie or game.parenting with the technology thing is a whole new level...ugh

Your doing great, hang in there!

 

[HMBgal]

Well, a few things have happened that have moved this off the "front page" for us. My grandkids actually live in a different, but close by, school district. So, the district said that they can't return. Okay, fair enough, even though their step-siblings get to stay in the school district, and they live even further away. Long, weird story. The district has an appeal process that if the before and after school caretakers of the children reside in the district (that would be my husband and myself) then the kids can stay.

So, we filed an appeal. On the very same day that the appeal hit the district office, a call came to us from the County Office of Education saying that school district wants to remove my grandson from general education and bus him 40 minutes away to a county program. And because he doesn't live in the district, we can't fight it. It's their way or the highway. They are citing costs of the IEP, which he doesn't really qualify for anymore anyway. What's odd is that my grandson is reading at a high school level (he's 10), is meeting or exceeding every academic standard, and had a wonderful year last year. And they want to ship off to a school with severely emotionally disturbed and violent kids with behaviors so severe that it is impeding their learning to a significant degree. Wow. Just wow. My grandson would be eaten alive.

So, about the porn, he can't walk around and do pokemon without one of us with him, he can't take any devices, even his low-tech nook to the park or even out of the house, he can only watch videos with the YouTube Kids app, etc. So he's pretty locked down and he isn't complaining about it. I wish his social skills weren't such that he wouldn't go along with every stupid thing he sees other kids doing. They are smart enough to not get caught. Grandson gets caught and you know what? I'm glad he does.

He's going to a new school in the district in which he lives on Wednesday and we are actually quite excited by it. It's a small K-8 school, only 350 students or so. This new district allows you to choose which school you would like to send the kids to, and they all have a different focus. Academic/traditional k-5, then middle school, the K-8 schools have more parent involvement, and my granddaughter will be going to a K-8 based on learning through the arts, which is right in her wheelhouse. Grandson's is based on experiential learning through hands-on collaborative projects, field trips, and community involvement with county classes that are also on campus with kids with moderate/severe/medically fragile and intense needs. Grandson loves to help others and he can even get a wheelchair driver's license to help the kids get to recess, library, music, and the like. So, sometimes bad things happen for a good reason and we're cautiously optimistic about this fresh start for him.

Hope you are all doing well and the school year is starting off well for your kiddos.