So, I set a "needs to improve by date" for a family who's 7.5 year old girl has serious, serious emotional and behavioral issues and they are steadily growing worse. I gave family nearly 2 months to put a plan into action(that I was more than willing to work with them on once they decided what they wanted to do) that will help this little girl overcome her issues( currently they are hitting, grabbing, terrible-god awful-rolling on the ground-temper tantrums, coloring on walls, running away, blatant disregard for other people around her, telling me 'hurting people's feelings is fun'). I personally believed counselling was the appropriate choice, but they thought it would be too 'embarassing if friends found out', so they choose to ignore the behavior and outbursts or give in to shut her up and "it's our hope she will outgrow this". Well, now we have a complete demon on our hands and she is out of control and time is running out on the need to improve by date. I feel for the child because she needs help, but I can no longer deal with it. I've had them for 2 years exactly. I've printed up my letter and I am going to give it to mom and dad on Wednesday. I've never had to do this and I feel awful, but I know it has to be done for my own sanity and that of the other little ones here.

Why can't some people look at their troubled child and say, "This is not normal. Or fair to allow her to stumble through life like this. I need to do SOMETHING besides ignore it". I seriously wonder how this child will get thorugh life. 2 years ago she began as a child with a bit of a temper and was a spoiled child and now she is this. *sigh* More of a rant I guess, but it makes me so very sad that this is what it has come to and that the parents just can't see WHY it is such a huge issue. I know it is very hard for them to see this, but still, to sit idly by?

I know my days will be easier once she has left. That is what I keep thinking of.