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Letters From Listeners

'Ratting' Someone Out
04/16/2014

I ratted out my son when he was a senior in high school. I called the principal when I found a forged note from "ME" to excuse him from an entire week of school that he skipped without my knowledge! The principal told me he had NEVER had a parent "rat" out their kid which to me is unbelievable.  My son had to earn his chance to go to his senior prom and NOT be suspended. His entire spring break that year he had to meet the custodian and clean the school along with a few detentions!

He was so angry with me, BUT I did that as his Mom because I loved him and back then he was getting in to all kids of trouble! (Off the record, I also got him into an after school re-hab. Then I called all his friends' parents and told them all IF my son was involved in "things" most likely so were their sons/daughters.) My husband and I formed a parent group and we met in parks/firehouses or anywhere we could gather to talk about our kids for free! I ran off flyers every meeting about the topics we wanted to discuss and brought bottled water and a snack. We got speakers to attend to help us as parents cope and it was a good therapy session for us adults to not feel alone! Years after the women of that group still met every few months for dinner for updates which turned out great for all.

My son is now 26 years old and still brings up ratting him out to the school and to his friends' parents! His friends were angry at the time, but they learned to respect me and to this day they visit me. I am thankful to say I did not lose my son to drugs and in my opinion he is alive today because of what I did. I have seen how many friends he lost to drugs over the years, but none of the boys whose parents attended our meetings! Other than my son having surgery to remove a benign brain tumor when he was 19, he is doing well.

Linda

P.S. I have listened to you since 1990 - first on the radio and now on SiriusXM 106! Love your show!

 

Tags: Behavior, Education, Parenting, Raising Boys to Men, Relationships, Social Issues, Stay-at-Home Mom, Teens, Values
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