Watched interesting video

[The People]

I don't remember how I came across the video the other day. It was a true event in Britain where a couple's 7 year old girl was so out of control they were looking at sending her to military school. The couple turned to everyone for help. Finally a retired teacher took them on. Only he never met the daughter. Just came to the home once to get a sense of the parents.

The mother spoke about her in a horrible way. The father who was more patient did much of the child care. He put her to bed.

They set up a daily program where the kid started off with 35 pence. When she acted up she lost a pence. Over time the child responded to this.

Then the former teacher addressed the parents. For example, the Mom had never even kissed the child goodnight. She began to work on that. It was very hard for her. Not because she still hated the child, but because she acknowledged that shame she always had about not knowing how to mother.

The woman went on to talk about her own childhood. Like her daughter she had no friends in school. She didn't say why but she was extremely tall and had low self esteem. She also talked about things that spoke of some sort of abuse to me. Another case of generations passing down their issues to the next generations.

At the end the little girl was a calm, easy going little girl most of the time. Mom looked on proudly as the child chose some treats to buy with the money she earned. The two played together Mom making the child giggle as Dad looked on proudly.

I found it to be very moving. Imagine if they had sent this child off to military school. She would have been completely destroyed and most likely would have felt worthless.

While adults SA for many reasons so many can trace it back generations. The physical and emotional stuff comes because they were just repeating what they were taught. They were raised at a time when nobody was there to teach them differently. I am not excusing anyone who created us. I am just glad that we are the new generation. We opted not to have children or those who did turn to someone for help and advice and direction. Like this Mom who couldn't kiss her child but now can do it easily.

I got lost in the middle of this somewhere. I hope people get what I am trying to say. I just know parents who decided when they got married that they would never hurt their children in the way that they were hurt. sh*t still happens, sadly enough. But so many of us who were hurt will never hurt others. And thus the world moves forward in its fight against child abuse.

[mosaic]

wow that sounds like a very powerful video.

i remember being 10 years old and saying to myself "I'm not going to do that to my kids". i'm very glad i had good t's to help me along the way so that i didn't repeat everything. and i see my kids with THEIR kids and feel so glad

[The People]

I can tell by your GKs that the family knows they are loved. I remember the matching dresses for the girls and how proud they were. They are so fortunate that you made the decision to be a different kind of parent. I know others who made that same decision and it made such a difference in the lives of the kids.

BTW are we due for a new photo? No pressure.