h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I got a complaint this week from one son for writing about him on the web. Will have to watch myself in future!

Wonderful news, B - you must be beaming with pride

It sounds like things are coming together a bit!

Bleurgh. Just heard that he's been skipping school and is now out.

Sigh.

What on earth do I do?

Being a parent has to be one of the most difficult jobs on the face of this

He'll sort himself out eventually - and will probably apologise for putting you through it.
Sometimes we just have to accept that we've done our bit - the rest is up to them.
Tis hard, though

Isn't it infuriating how life goes sometimes? You get a couple of areas really well sorted and ticking along very nicely - and then something else goes phut

By "out" - do you mean expelled?

Mine skips school continuously; all that happens is his Dad gets bombarded with questions in the staff room.

He's basically refusing to go. (Reminiscent of a 2year old kicking and screaming "Don't want to!")

Dai says he's never seen me so depressed - I know I'm on the verge of tears constantly, and I just feel I have a huge Harry-shaped hole inside me.

oh my


perhaps Dai ought to give him an earful for making you depressed? It would have worked with me.

They don't realise, do they?

You indicate to them how worried you are and their nonchalance only increases. Or they swear at you and tell you you're stupid or similar.

You _don't_ indicate how worried you are and they probably end up with inferiority complexes, and do themselves down even more - thinking "If my parents don't care about me, why should I?"

Which is why Sho's suggestion is not a bad one at all. If Dai comes to your defence, it will show your son that someone cares about you and make it clear to him what his attitude is doing to you. He may not know how to react without losing his ness, but it will bring the problem to his attention and make him aware that there are other people in this world who have feelings, too - this latter in the long run only, don't expect immediate miracles!



My delinquent skiver actually went to his physics teacher today and asked for a few exercises to prepare him for the next test. Something must have pushed some button in his subconscious. I'm harbouring no more than a tiny spark of hope, though, until the test results are all out in the open.

Keep hoping for the positive!

I should point out that Harry no longer lives with me - he's with his Dad and his partner. But I know they are also doing the "see the effect you have on those around you?" approach.

ah...



if you'd known all this then... you'd still have had the little blighters, eh?

But then, when he's good, he's very very good (Typical Gemini. Not that I believe any of that astrological mumbo-jumbo - I have a sceptical side, like most Librans)

Yesterday he was playing with the Ulster Orchestra, and he did brilliantly! I was so proud. And I'd just picked up my sister from the train station - she's looking to move back to NI from Melbourne - so she was able to come along and beam her proud aunt face at him too.