My arrival home this afternoon was somewhat of a surprise to my teenage daughter. Though I’m not sure why, after all, I live here, and I have returned home each time I’ve left. However, when I entered the kitchen it was vacant; apparently, nobody heard me come in.

I began to look into the other rooms, trying to locate my children who were supposed to be doing their schoolwork. Nevertheless, when the cats away, the mice will play, you know. When I glanced into the playroom, which is also our schoolroom, I saw my teenage daughter at my computer.

Two years ago, I purchased 4th grade Switched on School House curriculum for her, thinking she would progress to 4th grade work, but that hasn’t happened yet. All of her schoolwork is still in the written workbook form, so she had no reason to be on my computer, especially without adult supervision. I watched for a minute, slightly stunned, and then asked her what she was doing.

She looked at me as if I was stupid for asking such a question, and the tone of her voice when she answered me, implied the same. “I am helping Buck with his schoolwork,” she stated, as though that would end the conversation. Buck is in the 7th grade, and he is doing 7th grade work, which happens to be installed on my computer.

Our conversation went something like this.
“Why are you doing Buck’s schoolwork for him,” I asked, still confused.
“Because I knew the answer,” she retorted rather smugly.
“Did Buck ask you to help him with his schoolwork? Does he know you are doing his schoolwork?” I questioned.
“I think so; I was standing beside him while he was doing it, watching him.” She said, still confident.

“So if you happen to be standing next to me when I’m eating, and I leave the table briefly, should I expect you to eat my food?” I pondered, using an analogy that involved food, because she has always been compulsive about food. Of course, she thought that was a ridiculous idea. She never did seem to understand what the problem was, in her mind she was completely justified in her actions.

Later, while babysitting for my newborn granddaughter, I asked her to hold our baby, Ami. Ami was struggling with jealousy, seeing her mom holding a newborn. She took Ami outside, in 50-degree weather, dressed in just a cotton onsie. She was watching Buck empty the vacuum cleaner.

Read more about foster care adoptions.
What is FAS or FAE
I Forgot - Living with FAS/FAE
Photo Credit