Yesterday's Schedule
(Or Is It The Day Before??? Or Some Weird Combination???)
(Or Is It The Day Before??? Or Some Weird Combination???)
9:00am Checking 88 e-mails, 7 voice mails
9:30am Responding to 53 of the e-mails and 3 of the voice mails
10:00am Developing three new behavior management plans
10:45am Introducing new behavior management plans to a placing agent
11:00am Receiving rude e-mail from a placing agent in response to new behavior management plan. (Apparently community safety is not important. Sixteen victims are meaningless? I must have not received that memo.)
11:20am Responding to rude e-mail from placing agent. (This required some deep breathing and prayer to complete professionally.)
11:45am Informing a mildly mentally retarded teen that his mother no longer wants him and that she is falsely accusing him of molesting his sister in order to prevent him from ever coming home again.
11:55am Watching teen cry.
12:00pm Reminding residents during their school lunch break why "boundaries" are important and that swearing at staff is not appropriate.
12:15pm Receiving notice we will receive a new resident today.
12:20pm Notifying a young teen that because he is unable to stop sexually acting out, he must be transitioned out to a more secure environment.
12:25pm Watching young teen cry.
12:35pm Phone call. Explaining to a parent that her son was a willing recipient of a sexual favor. Of course, mother's baby would never do such a thing willingly . . .
12:45pm Receiving notice we will receive another new resident today.
12:55pm Confronting a teen about his inappropriate fantasies about staff and about his inappropriate methods of . . . self-stimulating.
1:10pm Searching for treatment activities specifically designed for gender-confused adolescents. Found a couple worksheets and made copies.
1:30pm Receiving notice that a non-manageable resident sent to detention will be returning despite his continued unstable condition.
1:45pm Becoming aware that both new residents shared a prior placement. Tingling spider senses tell me these residents have shared . . . relations.
2:00pm After some brief interviewing . . . yep, spider senses are still as accurate as ever! No doubt in my mind these residents are more than just old bunk mates. (So let's put them in the same residence! Thanks admissions office!!!)
2:15pm Driving to McDonald's for some tea. Mmm, fresh air!!! (You do NOT want to know what my cottage smells like!)
2:30pm Implementing new behavior plans. Two out of three of the involved residents cry because this will affect their visit times if their behavior does not improve.
2:45pm Attempting to find out why a cheese grater is on my desk. Can't stop laughing long enough to do so.
2:50pm Explaining to 2nd shift staff about new residents and their high risk situation. Explain about the possible return of unstable resident.
3:00pm Listening to staff rant about new info, as though I'm not aware of how crappy it is already ;o)
3:30pm Treatment plan meeting with a resident's grandmother. Grandmother argues with grandson, "No! you don't have that many victims! Only one!!! That's all!!!" Does is really matter grandma? The kid needs help regardless . . .
4:15pm Vegetating at my desk . . .
4:30pm Beginning agenda for upcoming staff meeting.
4:50pm Receive notice of an allegation that one resident has been propositioning another resident. Interview both residents. Nothing concrete. Spider senses too exhausted to tingle.
5:15pm Attempting to leave for the day. Residents ask questions. Feeling guilty about leaving, so I stay to talk with residents and answer questions. "No, teenage sex offender, I do not think you should have visitation with little brother. Do I have to explain? Seriously!"
5:45pm Walking to my car, thinking about how I got NO filing or evaluations done today.
6:30pm Random house cleaning. Receive a phone call that one resident threatened staff.
7:00pm Showering. Washing away the ick factor that often lingers after hearing too many gross stories. (It's there. I can feel it). Doing some SERIOUS praying in the process. (Strength and wisdom. Strength and wisdom,)
7:30pm YAY!!! Company!!! Now I have something else to think about!!! Thanks, you guys rock!!!
3 comments:
Sounds like your day was not as busy as it normally is :0P
I love you, and again I am so proud of you for doing what you do. God has given you a gift to be able to make a difference in the lives of these children while providing structure and safety for them as well. You are so strong emotionally and spiritually. I truly am blessed to have you in my life.
Stay strong hunny!
You must have an unlimited supply of patience! These kids are extremely blessed to have you there, whether they know it or not. Keep up the great job!
Hmmmm...seems like you've got too much free time on your hands. If only you could eat vegetables while vegetating. That would really be accomplishing something.
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