Courage is one of the major virtues.
Born in circumstances that will influence his place in the world, without proper guidance, this twelve year old boy doesn’t have a chance.
How does such a young lad deal with one’s parents that never give him the time of day?
When one’s mother and father have no interest in you, ignore your emotional & physical well being, because they cannot take care of themselves; this boy is considered damaged goods, his life at twelve, has no boundaries, fixing his own lunch everyday, and worrying about being late for school, because both his parents are asleep due, I expect, from their own self indulgences, lost in their self inflicted hell.
But the boy has courage.
While the twelve year old young man struggles to do the right thing everyday, he fights back with inappropriate behaviour: bad language, bullying all and sunder, struggling with his work. This boy is one who has fallen through the cracks of the system, nothing major like sexual cruelty or physical abuse, (as far as we know) just simple, silent… neglect.
This interesting student has moved through the system, undetected, the so-called professionals through out his school life; failed, obviously not taking the time to help this bright though broken soul.
Thus the boy is now with us…and doing better.
We are focusing on his needs; a specialist school, perhaps, something that will help this soul realize the better angels of his nature. But he is a boy, and boys require boundaries; however the little bugger manages to avoid restraint, though restraint is what is absolutely required.
Needless to say, although illiterate and a tested low IQ, he is a charming lad, learning the basics as he goes along… but with a mouth of a drunken sailor.
These are the children that end up breaking my heart.
His parents are very aggressive, intimidating any teacher that rings to express their concern. We, the system, are the problem; they’re victims, believing the world is the cause of all their strife; while the young lad, cops it all…alone.
He fronts up everyday, open, funny, with no pen, paper or text book.
The little man has courage, a Front that gets him through the day, he needs to learn to read and write, practice restraint, and, perhaps, a good meal occasionally.
We all need to pay more attention.
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