I admit that the noncoercive parent in me bristles. But the realities of broken trust must be factored in the fabric of our lives, unfortunately. And so the last week has been spent in thinking...how to live after the trust has been broken; how to live with the knowlege that there is a cycle of self-defeating behavior going on; how to reconcile the spiritual, the sociological, the psychological aspects of this one person, our son; how to address the practicalities of life, which have been on hold this week. It hasn't been a fun place to be, as a parent, and probably an even less fun place to be as a 15 year old!
Tonight dh and I proposed a contract. By signing it ds would be allowed to start at the public school asap, with no determination made for the following year. One thing at a time. Since I'm unwilling to homeschool anymore, he needs some solution. Otherwise, he would have to continue at the homeschool coop, and just lose the half credit that I was teaching him this semester. But he is miserable homeschooling, and I do feel like he has more than atoned for smoking pot.
Here's the contract.
"I will go this semester to R High School.
Here’s what I agree to:
ACADEMICALLY:
I will finish all outstanding homeschool work by Jan. 15.
I will spend two hours a day doing schoolwork. Academic housekeeping, reading, studying, reviewing, writing, homework, research, or just plain thinking... I’ll schedule two hours per day to do this, without the interruptions of TV, cellphone, or IM.
I will keep a planner, that is available every night (not left at school).
I will make all As and Bs on all report cards, including progress reports.
If I start strong, and then begin slacking off on any of these, I’ll lose privileges. I know that up front and I’m not going to make mom and dad miserable when they enforce this.
I will continue piano twice a week with the current practice requirements (30 minutes a day), and I will do a student show, in order to get the credit for Piano Performance.
I will continue to play with W___, in order to get the credit for PE.
SOCIALLY:
I will not drink alcohol, smoke pot, or any other of those things that will get me nowhere.
I will tell the truth. No lies, no hedging, no rationalizing.
I will rebuild trust with dad and mom. If something goes on at school, or where I am, that isn’t right (drinking at a party for example) I’ll let mom and dad know. Not so that they can have a coronary, or so I can get someone in trouble, but so I can rebuild trust. I won’t make mom and dad guess what’s going on, and I won’t make them ask the ‘right questions’ in order to know what’s going on.
Facebook, My Space, and anything like that will be open to mom/dad. There aren’t any realms where I have a secret life.
I will not orient my life toward my friends, and be strangers to my family. I’ll have my friends over here so mom and dad can get to know them.
I will go to church with the family.
I understand that my social privileges will be gradually reintroduced, and I’m not going to give mom and dad grief about it. Trust takes time, and I’ve really blown it to date.
Additionally, I am signing here that my attitude is going to be that mom and dad are on my side, trying to help me and that they may see things I’m not able to see. So I’m admitting that I trust them to have my best interests at heart. I’m willing to humble myself and accept whatever ‘suggestions’, restrictions, or programs they have (down the road, based on how things go).
I understand that although this is a checklist, it isn’t exhaustive, and it isn’t a list of rules. Rather it is reflective of a few basic values: truth, integrity, self-discipline, trust, and cooperation to name a few. The intent here is that I am going to live in the truth.
I understand that decisions about my junior and senior year will be made later, taking everything into account for my best interests and based on what I learn about myself in the meantime and on what mom and dad observe. I am not interested in accepting less than what I’m capable of, and decisions about the future will focus on this.
I’m signing this of my own free will, because I want to succeed, I want to make positive changes, and because I realize that going to school is a privilege...and not because it’s what mom and dad want to hear. I’ve asked all the questions I need to make sure that I understand what I’m signing."
He clarified a few points, but overall seems happy to sign it. From our POV, we want to follow up with counseling, mentors, ADHD evaluation/accomodations, etc. There's no way this isn't coercive, but I think he does realize that we're in a screwed up morass and this is a hand up. So he's willing to take it. We'll see what happens. Our options, if he becomes passive about fulfilling it, are slim and I recognize that going into it. But ... theres not a lot of other ways to go, to our way of thinking, after a week's brainstorming. So here we go.
Monday, January 08, 2007
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1 comment:
Ha. I'm glad you told me you posted. I don't know what happened, but yesterday, all I saw was the drive home post.
This is an extensive contract. Did you get the idea from the Bradley book? I remember him talking about reasonable contracts or something to that effect.
I liked that you factored in his feelings on some level as you wrote it out. Must have taken a lot of thinking and reflecting to write it.
I don't know if he fels it right now, but I hope some day he can see the love behind it.
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