We raised our niece off & on (3/4 on) who was abandoned by her mom & has been bounced around by her wondering father since day one.
She has had her fair share of problems with structure in our home (although I could sense that she actuall
craved it) and in trouble at school and at home sneaking out at night, sex (we put her on protection), and mild drug & alcohol use once or twice in the last year.
Your average emotionally screwed up 17 year old teenager.
Nothing horrable...........yet, considering her probible emotional problems that she would never acknowlage.
When we left Alaska, she wanted to stay & try living with her Dad for the first time, and stay with her friends & school, then maybe move back with us in a year or so.
Then she got a job at large shopping chain.
I have always talked to her about how importent doing a good job was, to always show up early and always go the extra mile.
How with the right attitude you will make contacts with new peoples and expiriences.
How work is always going to be an importent part of your life and you should treat it as such.
But I just naturally figured she would not do well, given her very strong rebellioues nature.
Well, she seemed to really enjoy going to work and she loved being in charge of her own earned money.
Then she decided she wanted to quit school (school being a source of trouble for her, networking with nare-do-wells and such) and just get her GED.
She started talking with this other girl at work who enrolled in a military-type school, like boot camp.
She went and checked it out, and she thinks it will be good for her.
She just got in and is going to give it her best shot.
I am very proud and hope she will do well.
But the thing I am MOST proud of?
Her last day of work today, they gave her a party, released her on some kind of leave so she can come right back to work when she finishs school, and told her what a great employee she has been, how much they like her and how much they want her back in six months, and their plans to put her on the fast track for promotion in 6 months when she comes back and is 18!
I guess I may have instilled a little something about doing a good job and becomming a part of the structure at work.
She must have took some of that with her, becouse they were sad to lose her and want her back.
It may very well be just the kind of outside validation she craves and needs to boost her selfworth.
That, and this school, could really be a turnning point for her.
I wish her nothing but the best, and however it turns out, I will remain very, very proud of the effort.
It's more then I ever did.
