CanExplores

I picked up Evan to bring him to my office for a little while- more bonding time.  His dad asked me if I would help him prepare for the school readiness test.  Evan was totally not interested. He was aloof and hesitant but he went with me.  I had some work to do at the office so I thought it would be a good time to begin his academics- at least a few papers to see where he was.  I had him sit on my lap so we could work the problems together.  I was surprised to find that he was not ready for school but the good news was he has one year to prepare.  After a few simple tests I soon found out that, he had no knowledge of his alphabets or numbers.  He had colors and shapes down but did not have a working knowledge of concepts or puzzles.  He was like an early three-year-old.  Therefore, my new strategy was teaching him as if I he were three-year-old.  However, I forgot his vocabulary and his ability to manipulate his father.

Because he did not like schoolwork he began to complain to his parents that I was always making him do work, he hated the work, and I was mean.  I received a call from his father telling me that Evan did not want to do any work and did not want to be with me anymore.  I explained to Father that Evan was academically like a three-year-old and he needed to lean something before kindergarten.  Father told me they were enrolling Evan in a program in the fall and they would do the work.  He asked me to stop all school work with Evan and only babysit! Frustrated, hurt, and very mad I told him I would only babysit his child who hated me and acted very badly.

Not the proper thing to say but nevertheless it was what I said.  I began to let Evan play and do his own thing, not the right thing to do either because he needs discipline.  I chose my plan of action as time filler; I truly cannot get my finger on this child and need time to connect with him.

I remembered when he was born, all the visits to his house and the fun we had together.  Then I remembered when he was little and he took me to his grandmother’s house he told me the bad guys lived in the corner of the kitchen and he did not like to go there.  Now two years later, I am the bad guy and I cannot get close to him.  My heart sank when his Father told me the news that Evan was complaining that I was mean and only wanted to work schoolwork and he wished I would not give him papers because it made him angry.  (Big words for a little kid!)  Well, I have to let it go and move on to other things.  We will begin our outings and see what happens.

This battle was not over…I had to find out where this hostility was coming from.

The more I prayed the more things go bad…. Never pray for patients.