So, the saga continues. Our boy has no friends, and the prospect of sending him out alone to try to find some? Terrifying. Yet that is exactly what he wants to do. He wants to wander the neighborhood beyond our street to try finding new friends. Just wander around the streets hoping to meet someone. Oh, damn, my heart breaks for him. My poor boy. He's smart, he's funny, he's handsome, he's got a good heart and loves to have fun, and he is alone. And me?
I'm afraid to let him wander this neighborhood alone with those scary kids here. We've got four registered sex offenders with child victims living within easy walking distance. I've wracked my brain, trying to think of anyplace where teens that don't include the awful kids on our block congregate, and there's not one place. This isn't a "kid-heavy" area, there aren't older kids out playing or hanging out. I checked Boys Club, but for his age group this time of year, there are only volleyball and basketball tryouts, and those are skill-based determinations AND he doesn't play either sport. There is an atheist homeschool group, but the only folks with kids his age aren't open weekends (AND are interested in doing things we don't have the cash for right now). No, atheism isn't a requirement, but not caring about our atheism is.
Next summer, there's Camp Quest. Next spring there's the flying club. Next year is volunteering, maybe at the ASPCA or a like thing. We thought Smithsonian, but it turns out he has to be 16 or older. But right now? Hapkido three nights a week is the extent of his time with other kids, and he wants more.
I feel responsible for this. Only I would pick the one place in the state where these particular kids with their animal killing and scary violence hang out. I wish I could make this better for him. He's a happy kid, but this is a hole in his life that we thought was filled when he started hanging with the kids in the neighborhood. But that fell apart, and now that emptiness is there again.
My poor boy.
I'm afraid to let him wander this neighborhood alone with those scary kids here. We've got four registered sex offenders with child victims living within easy walking distance. I've wracked my brain, trying to think of anyplace where teens that don't include the awful kids on our block congregate, and there's not one place. This isn't a "kid-heavy" area, there aren't older kids out playing or hanging out. I checked Boys Club, but for his age group this time of year, there are only volleyball and basketball tryouts, and those are skill-based determinations AND he doesn't play either sport. There is an atheist homeschool group, but the only folks with kids his age aren't open weekends (AND are interested in doing things we don't have the cash for right now). No, atheism isn't a requirement, but not caring about our atheism is.
Next summer, there's Camp Quest. Next spring there's the flying club. Next year is volunteering, maybe at the ASPCA or a like thing. We thought Smithsonian, but it turns out he has to be 16 or older. But right now? Hapkido three nights a week is the extent of his time with other kids, and he wants more.
I feel responsible for this. Only I would pick the one place in the state where these particular kids with their animal killing and scary violence hang out. I wish I could make this better for him. He's a happy kid, but this is a hole in his life that we thought was filled when he started hanging with the kids in the neighborhood. But that fell apart, and now that emptiness is there again.
My poor boy.
You live in the South now, there are going to be a lot of atheist-fearing, scary kids out there. You find more educated and open-minded people in the big cities, but then you have big city stuff to worry about.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if it has a lot of groups for kids or teens, but have you checked out Meetup.com? I recently joined, and I haven't been to any of the meetups yet, but it has groups for all sorts of interests. I joined one that goes on a hike every Wednesday, one that goes mountain biking, another that is called "liberal minded culture seekers" and there are tons more, and that's in Utah, so I would bet there are even more in your area. You can look at the profiles of the other people that are meeting up, before you have to see them in person, so you can at least know if they are like-minded and good candidates for friends for young Mr Thongler.