“Patience is not how long you wait for something, but the attitude you have while you wait.”

Every path has a few hills; live simple, love unconditionally,  show compassion, forgive quickly, laugh often, speak wisely,  cherish family and friends, pray daily, be thankful for all things, care deeply and  preach by example.

God loves you, trust in Him to take care of all your concerns.  

Our Lord never closes a door without opening a window.

I am not sure how to even begin as I never thought one of my grandchildren would be the victim of school bulling.  My grandson is 9 goes to public shool and lives in a small town several hours from me.  It seems  this boy, same age I think, has been after him for sometime now and I understand there have been several prior events that have taken place before now.

At school last week ,while my grandson was helping with activities on the playground, the boy went and took the thermos from his lunch kit, poured it out, took it to the bathroom, peed in it and then placed it back in the lunch kit.

Another student withness this and told my grandson who immediately went to the teacher who ignored him.

I need to say that my grandson has ADHD and once he gets focus on something he  can be very demanding for your attention.

It has been an on going challenge to get the teachers to understand the problems he is struggling with and to get their co-operation to work with him. My Grandson is a good child but by no means perfect and at times I know he can try your patience. 

When he got home from school and told his Mother, my daughter, she immediately called the school, which did no good. So, she followed the school rules and filled out a form requesting to speak with the Principle.

 Yes, you heard me right. There is no “open door”  policy at this school for parents. even thought the other elementary schools in the district have an open door policy.

I know this for a fact because I called each school and asked.  If you want to speak to the Principle you fill out a form stating why you want to see the Principle, then it is reviewed and they call you if your request is granted.

Things sure have  changed since my girl’s were in school. Open door policy and spanking went out the window a long time ago,which  is one of the reasons I, personally, think children today believe they can get away with anything and pretty much do. Of course, it doesn’t help if they have not been taught right from wrong and have not had any discipline at home to begin with.

Anway, the school reviewed their survillance tapes and sure enough they showed the boy emptying the thermos, leaving, then coming back  and returning the thermos to the lunch kit. Three hours later my daughter received a call. The boy was given 3 day in-school suspension, in other words he went to school and stayed in one place all day. Supposenly his parents were notified, he had to apologize to my grandson and my daughter was told that they were trying to get him help for his problems but would not elaborate.

Last Friday the same boy attacked my grandson while they were waiting for the bus to go home and hit him in the stomach 3 times.  Again, he tried to tell the teacher who said they would deal with it Monday. When he arrived at home in tears, my daughter called the school and was put on hold and they never came back to the line. She called back 2 more times and could not get anyone to pick up the phone. Since this has been an on going thing with other encounters happening in the past, she called the Police and was told there was nothing they could do and she would have to take it up with the school.

So, again, yesterday, Monday she filled out the form requesting to talk to the Principle and as of last night she had still not heard from the school. I have not talked to her yet today as she is at work and will not be able to call me until tonight.

I am concern for my grandson as each encounter seems to get more physical.  I fear that someone is going to really get hurt not only physically but mentally as well.

I would not be surprised if my grandson announced that he no longer wanted to go to school. My daughter has even looked into changing to another campus and was told by the school that they are not approving any campus changes for students. Private school is out of the question as their income will not let them afford that luxury; home school will not work as he needs the inter action with other children so he can learn social skills and how to deal with the ADHD.

I keep thinking about the teenage girl that was bullied and took her life and of the young boy that hung himself for the same reason. I am not saying this will happen to my grandson but I am very concern and do know that it is affecting him emotionally and I am at a loss as what to do to help him and his Mother.

I have been thinking about this and decided that I am going to go to the next School Board Meeting and have them address this problem as I have learned it is  being experienced by other students. I am going to ask that a support group be formed on each school campus as a resource for children that are victims of bullies and their families so they have a safe place to go and discuss with someone what has taken place and steps that can be taken to deal with the situtation.  

I am also going to write a letter to the Editor of their local newspaper so  other parents are aware of the problem in their school district and what they can do about it.

But the most important and  number one thing I have done  is pray and placed my Grandson under the protection of Our Lord and His Blessed Mother. I also prayed for my daughter that Our Lord gives her guidance and strength to help her son through this difficult time. Through Him all things are possible and can be changed.

Then I  prayed  for the boy that is bulling my grandson and his family.  I am assuming this child  has his own problems that  he needs help with otherwise he would not be displaying the behavior that we are seeing. Maybe the family is going through their own trying times and I pray for healing and guidance for their circumstances.

After that, I am open to suggestions. Thanks for listening to a very frustrated and concerned Granny.

Footnote: The school district has moved Grandson to a different school so hopefully this story is headed in the right direction for a happy ending.

8-24-2010 Update: My grandson started school Monday at his new school and is doing well. He seems to be adjusting with his new surroundings just fine and says he likes his new school and is making new friends. Thank-you Lord for taking care of my Grandson.

Do you sometimes find things moving so fast that you feel like you are on a merry-go-round

and want to just STOP and get off?  At times I  find myself  in “overload” mode.  So caught up in volunteering  that it seems my plate is over flowing  with involvement  between non-profit, church groups, civic organizations and etc. with no time for family or  me. 

In all fairness I have to acknowledge this merry go round is the creation of my own doing.

 I am a compassionate person but in my sincere efforts to lend that helping hand I am my own worse enemy. I need to understand that I cannot and am not always able to say, yes.

I think we all need a better understandstanding of the difference between  lending a helping hand to the best of our ability and lending a helping hand when it effects  and takes away from our family obligations  or affects our health. Having my finger in so many pots that I feel frustrated is not healthy nor am I doing  justice or a good job for the ones I am wanting to serve. 

I am not saying don’t be a volunteer; I am saying  know your limits,  take care of  you and your families needs first so that when you volunteer you can give a 100%. It’s like a Mother going to work; if she knows her children are being taken care of then she can be productive, do a good job for her employer and experience a sense of accomplishment for herself.

In growing up putting others needs before mine was just me being me so,  personally, learning  to take care of yourself and  to recognize the signs that say you are approaching your  limits is hard.

By the grace of God I am working on knowing  my limits and  how to manage my time better so I won’t be a  rider on the merry-go-round.

I wish all of you balance of  family and work and the forsight to be  able to be that neighbor who lends a helping hand.  I pray you experience the joy of  receiving  more blessing back than you gave.

“Babies in the womb are not potential human beings,  rather they ARE HUMAN BEINGS with potential.”

When God takes something from your grasp, He’s not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better……..The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect

you.

Saturday March 27, 2010 9AM-4PM go to ww.cum.tamu.ed/openhouse/ for all the det

ails on a fun and educati

onal day.

A daily dose of laughter is great medicine for all the  ups and downs of life.

Everything I Need To Know

I Learned From My HORSE!

 Encouragements are important and makes accomplishments possible!

Don’t stirrup trouble.

MANURE happens.

A foal and his MOMMY ARE SOON PARTED.

The bucking stops here.

Show unbridled enthusiasm.

Just say “NEIGH”!

Keep passion4art.com
your shoes on.

Lead, follow, or stay in the barn.

SOME ARE BARN TO GREATNESS; OTHERS HAVE GREATNESS THRUSHED UPON THEM.

If at first you don’t succeed, shy, shy again.

It’s important to be well groomed.

Take EVERYTHING with a lick of salt.

Save your ponies for a rainy day.

Jump each fence as you come to it.

A HORSE in the BARN is WORTH TWO

in the field.

 Hold your horses.

Horsiness is next to Godliness

Quoated From Horsin’ Around

Exception – First Quote is mine (smile)