It's All About The Flamingo

Kidlet came home yesterday. My sister called to let me know he was on his way, and I called her back to let her know, "The eagle has landed and the flamingo is in the car," but she wasn't available. When she called me back, I asked her if she'd sent Shorty's school paperwork. She said she'd completely forgotten that (even though I'd called her last Thursday to remind her). I got upset...how's this boy supposed to be enrolled in school without his paperwork?! She said she'd get it on Monday and I reminded her that schools are closed until the new year. She said she'd do it when the schools reopened. I said I have to be back at work on the day school reopens here because I have a global conference call that morning at 8 AM (when I'm supposed to present part of my project as part of my evaluation for my promotion to corporate environmental manager).

When we talked about over nighting his paper work, I reminded her that even if it's overnighted on the 4th (which is when schools reopen in JAX), it won't arrive until 10 AM on the 5th, which is after I have to have my global conference call. She said, "Well, maybe he'll just have to miss school that day." Sigh. What part of, "The boy's already not doing well and having to make all these changes is a big part of why he's not doing well in school, and missing any more school is just going to contribute to his poor performance " does my sister not understand?! That, her lack of a relationship with God, her lack of patience, and chronic controlling behavior, in my opinion, are a big part of why she doesn't have any children to this day.

I brought my son home for good for a number of reasons, but the biggest one was because I realize that I'm the only one who has a clue, the means, and the energy to do what's required (in detail) to get him to where he needs to be. I'd rather temporarily have him in subpar schools here in LA, sacrifice my need for independence and supplement what he needs to make up for that, than to have him attending a good school and living in FL with under-experienced people who love him, or worse, have him enrolled in school in LA with a financially retarded chronologically adult father who regards raising Shorty as an opportunity to raise himself and correct the mistakes his father made in raising him (while making grave mistakes in the process).

I'm not perfect and I don't pretend to be, but I have committed to raising my son with the best I can give him, no matter what it takes, even if what it takes means making grave changes midstream and having to recognize people I thought were capable as having less parenting ability than I thought they did.