improvement

I spoke to Keith last night.  He’s regularly attending an alternative high school.  He attends for a little over 4 hours every day.  Classes begin at 12 noon each day.  There is no recess, no lunch, just online learning activities driven by actual teaching staff on site.  There are around 300 students there compared to the 3,000 at his previous high school.  They also encourage the kids to success instead of telling them they are wasting the staff’s time, etc.  Pinellas Park is really not the suburban dream some people think.  (pahlease…)

Keith likes his new school. 

This is a huge success.

Keith is following his nightly curfew his father set.

Another step in the right direction.

Keith is not belligerent with me.  He was largely in the past belligerent with his father only.  He’s no longer having that issue with his father either.   He and I had a nice talk.  I told him I was proud of his taking the first initial steps in the right direction.  And I am proud of him.  I do miss him.  I haven’t seen him in almost over a month now.  We will likely change that very soon.

I believe every parent has some regret’s, once they realize things or learn new things etc.  But the relationship that I personally have with my son appears largely intact, he’s doing well, he’s safe now.

I’m relieved.  I’m guarded.  But I really am proud that he learned some lessons while out there trying to be all grown up too soon. 

Sometimes when you make a selfless decision, other’s don’t know all the details of your life, and so all they can see is their slanted viewpoints.  It kills me how people who have young children think they know what will happen when those children become teenagers.  No parent has that crystal ball.  Unfortunately.  I have learned to live in the now.  To take each day as it comes.  For now, Keith is doing quite well.