Sitting in the Judgment Seat

Today is so warm, it's tempting to put on shorts. Some of the kids at the school are wearing them; this makes Sam think he's eligible for them-- he also thinks all moms are "mean." Oh, well. It's a gift I suppose. Someone at the school told me it is supposed to snow again tomorrow. I sure hope not.

A family at the school was in need of childcare for a kindegardner this week, so the mom could work two extra days and have enough money to put her kids in the after-school care program. When something broke at her work, she was told not to come in, so she won't have the money she needs to enroll them this week. I told her to ask the social worker for ideas-- then called the SW to say our church would pick up the cost-- (only $110) and they say at the school that I shouldn't help her, because we have before. I'm pretty confused about it. Some moms they seem to help indiscriminantly and others only sparingly. It makes me wonder why. Do they pick and choose? Is it right to judge whether someone else's crisis is legitimate?

I think it's a slippery slope to be on when one begins to judge whether another person's issues are major or not. Friends of our family have a child who has behavioral issues. Frankly, so do the parents. The child has been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, though I think the parents ought to be also. The parents are not all that well-adjusted socially-- at least one of them isn't, in particular-- and it comes as no surprise that this particular child also has social interaction problems. He has nearly been expelled numerous times since kindegarten, and is only in sixth grade. Of course, he is quite smart, having a "Gifted," diagnosis too, but you have to wonder whether most of the behavior problems are environmental or biological. I am aware of his parents' poor parenting on numerous occasions, and wonder whether his counselors and school officials are aware of these instances.

And of course all of this is on the slippery slope as I sit in a position where I can simply judge them and not be effected by their "crises" and just shake my head... there is probably a family systems chapter out there somewhere written all about them. Isn't that a judgmental statement?