The therapists mentioned that often kids have a sense about the goal changing to TPR even though they haven't been told. This seems to be true for my kids if the conversations and big feelings we have been witnessing this week are any indication. We've had several nights of crying fits at bedtime by Smiley and Sarah. This week brought on statements of "I miss my other Mommy" and "I'm worried my Mom won't call".
Smiley has been doing a lot of crying. We've determined that this is mainly about her attachment to me and her need to make sure I will take care of her. Its exhausting. As of late, she's not been able to get her pajamas on, brush her teeth, or finish homework without my either doing the task for her or right next to her, step by step. I made the mistake of responding to her cries last night reminding her that her Mom should be calling today.
This set Sarah off. We had a long conversation about her worries that her Mom would not call and the reasons why she can't live with her Mom. She told me she was confused about that part. She doesn't remember her Mom not being able to take care of her. In reality, she only ever lived with her Mom for a few months at a time. She spent her 1st year of life in foster care. Then she lived with her grandma, then an aunt and uncle, and at some point back to her Mom. She came back to Illinois and went to live with a family friend, then 2 sets of foster parents and then finally with me the last 9 months. She sobbed in my arms. The deep, body shaking of grief. It was heart breaking. I can't fix it. And I can't protect her from it.
Sheila did not call on-time. Sarah was already aware that Mom had missed the call. An hour after the call time I received a text that she was late because she was shopping for the kids. She won't see the kids for three weeks. She is very much in denial about what is happening. She wanted to call later tonight but as Sarah had already cried about the miss call time and moved on with the night, I felt it was best to leave it alone.
I'm really struggling to understand how you can be shopping for the kids and then decide shopping is more important than calling them. Especially since just a few days ago she was texting about having more calls. The responsible thinking just isn't there and that's the reason why she isn't parenting any of her kids. I'm not sure that the calls are really in the kids' best interest at this point. I think the only one who is really benefitting from them is Sheila.
The Administrative Case Review this week should be interesting. I'm wondering how productive it will be given she walked out on the meeting with the caseworker after court. Its going to be very hard to hear that the department no longer has to provide services. She is also not going to like being told phone calls with the kids are at my discretion.
Smiley has been doing a lot of crying. We've determined that this is mainly about her attachment to me and her need to make sure I will take care of her. Its exhausting. As of late, she's not been able to get her pajamas on, brush her teeth, or finish homework without my either doing the task for her or right next to her, step by step. I made the mistake of responding to her cries last night reminding her that her Mom should be calling today.
This set Sarah off. We had a long conversation about her worries that her Mom would not call and the reasons why she can't live with her Mom. She told me she was confused about that part. She doesn't remember her Mom not being able to take care of her. In reality, she only ever lived with her Mom for a few months at a time. She spent her 1st year of life in foster care. Then she lived with her grandma, then an aunt and uncle, and at some point back to her Mom. She came back to Illinois and went to live with a family friend, then 2 sets of foster parents and then finally with me the last 9 months. She sobbed in my arms. The deep, body shaking of grief. It was heart breaking. I can't fix it. And I can't protect her from it.
Sheila did not call on-time. Sarah was already aware that Mom had missed the call. An hour after the call time I received a text that she was late because she was shopping for the kids. She won't see the kids for three weeks. She is very much in denial about what is happening. She wanted to call later tonight but as Sarah had already cried about the miss call time and moved on with the night, I felt it was best to leave it alone.
I'm really struggling to understand how you can be shopping for the kids and then decide shopping is more important than calling them. Especially since just a few days ago she was texting about having more calls. The responsible thinking just isn't there and that's the reason why she isn't parenting any of her kids. I'm not sure that the calls are really in the kids' best interest at this point. I think the only one who is really benefitting from them is Sheila.
The Administrative Case Review this week should be interesting. I'm wondering how productive it will be given she walked out on the meeting with the caseworker after court. Its going to be very hard to hear that the department no longer has to provide services. She is also not going to like being told phone calls with the kids are at my discretion.
