Okay, so I can admit now that having our granddaughter living with us since our beautiful daughter passed away has been horrendous. It's been over twelve months now and we have had both Kady 13 and Zeph 5 living with us. In that time Kady has been to four different schools. The last was a school that deals with children who don't fit into main stream education. In other words, no strict rules, no dress code, no homework, and learning only the essential subjects. Of course Kady enjoyed that so she stayed in school. However her behaviour at home was becoming increasingly worse. Her verbal abuse, disrespect and disobedience was becoming intolerable. Her mood swings were frighteningly quick. In one moment she could change from laughing and dancing to telling us she hated us and wished we were dead. We tried everything we could think of including child and youth mental services, but nothing has worked because she never lets them see the side of her that we have the misfortune of experiencing nearly everyday. Kady steals food and money from us. We have had to put cameras in our house to try to deter her from stealing. Of course it didn't. She was only too happy to take us up on the challenge. It has been a very trying time, but the last straw was when she stole a vape from her sister on her last visit to her father's place. She brought it home and was secretly vaping in my house, but worse, she tried to get Zeph to try it. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. We made the decision to send her to live with her father and sister, because we cannot have her endangering her five year old brother's life. I constantly worry about Mike's stress levels and he worries about mine. The things I've mentioned are just a drop in the ocean compared to what we have endured. Our grown children support us and that's all we need. So, as from now Mike, Zeph and I look forward to a more peaceful and happy year moving forward. Young Zeph starts Grade One at school and he is so excited.
I wish you all the very best for 2023.
