Saddest Thing I Have Heard at Work

[Garth]

I work at a group home for kids (ages 8-13) that have been abused and neglected. They live at the program, but go out to school and such. The other day, as I was sitting with one of the girls; she was browsing through our movie selections. At one point she turned to me and said, "What?!!!! Who the heck is 'Porky Pig'???? Stupid!" :surrend: :no: :mad: :sad:

[Brandon Reynolds]

:shock:

Damn.

Edit: What do you do at the group home, if you don't mind me asking?

[Taxman]

I would bet this girl has things to say which would cause you more tears.

[Brandon Reynolds]

I would bet this girl has things to say which would cause you more tears.

Shit, I can only imagine. You're brave Garth for working there. As much as I would love to help I don't think I could ever listen to so many sad stories. :cry:

[Dark Sasha]

My God.

[Garth]

:shock:

Damn.

Edit: What do you do at the group home, if you don't mind me asking?

Well, I work 2-10pm, typically. The kids (right now we have 7, but will be getting three more in very soon, and have a max capacity of 12 children)get home via bus, or us picking them up during the first hour or two that I am there. If they are involved in activities outside of the program, we take them, we help them with homework, make and eat dinner with them, get them to "routine" (program speak for showering), and just general household stuff (it is a group HOME, after all, so it is, in theory, meant to be a practice family). But that is about where the normalcy ends. At worst, I end up in restraints when the kids are out of control, talk to them to discuss why they are feeling certain ways, figure out ways to defuse violent , aggressive, or dangerous situations.


I would bet this girl has things to say which would cause you more tears.

Absolutely. And unlike what many people think, they don't really discuss their past all that often. It is hard for them to talk about. I know all their histories, but that is just because I have dealt with each of them one-on-one. But typically they don't discuss their history outside of their individual, group, and family therapies.


Shit, I can only imagine. You're brave Garth for working there. As much as I would love to help I don't think I could ever listen to so many sad stories. :cry:

Thanks. I like it, but it definitely isn't for everyone. The same way I don't think I could ever be a business exec or something. Well, everyone thinks the employees at these places are saints (and some are), the people that are the real great ones are those who donate their time to come help the kids with art class or whatever. So you might look to become a mentor of a child at a local residential program or group home. Or teach a weekly art class or something like that, you know? You wouldn't have to deal with alot of the more depressing parts of their lives and you would still be helping beyond what you would ever know.

[Amos Moses]

Abort her.

[RebootedCorpse]

We had to buy a Looney Tunes DVD set for our kids. I could not accept a generation left unfunnied.

[arthurloewenkamp]

Abort her.

Might be a little late for that.

[Garth]

The way her parents treated it her it certainly seems like they tried to after the fact, at least.

[Amos Moses]

The way her parents treated it her it certainly seems like they tried to after the fact, at least.

....

Now I feel bad.

You really are Tony Soprano!

[Masculine Todd]

I work at a group home for kids (ages 8-13) that have been abused and neglected. They live at the program, but go out to school and such. The other day, as I was sitting with one of the girls; she was browsing through our movie selections. At one point she turned to me and said, "What?!!!! Who the heck is 'Porky Pig'???? Stupid!" :surrend: :no: :mad: :sad:

That must be depressing, having to see the effects of abuse and disdain on children everyday. I'm sorry for the kids and you.

On a less serious (but sincere) note, I had to wikipedia "Porky Pig" to understand who you were talking about. :sad:

[Garth]

....

Now I feel bad.

You really are Tony Soprano!

I do what I can. I have learned much from him. Probably more then from my parents ;-)


That must be depressing, having to see the effects of abuse and disdain on children everyday. I'm sorry for the kids and you.

On a less serious (but sincere) note, I had to wikipedia "Porky Pig" to understand who you were talking about. :sad:

It can be depressing. It depends. We go through good stretches just like any other job. But then you will have a really shitty day, and go "What the fuck am I doing at this job?!?! I am getting paid like shit to be abused, cursed at, and spit on by fucking kids?!?!?!" Hah, on Mother's Day...oh god...I will save that for another post. But let it suffice to say I was in tears by the end of the shift. Not very Tony Soprano-like reaction...But, on the other hand, don't feel sorry for me. I chose this job and certainly don't feel sorry for the kids, they just want to be treated like other kids, even though they are far from normal in most regards.

[joespam]

That must be depressing, having to see the effects of abuse and disdain on children everyday. I'm sorry for the kids and you.

On a less serious (but sincere) note, I had to wikipedia "Porky Pig" to understand who you were talking about. :sad:So you have no idea the significance of member 'Beep Beep's name?

[Ben]

I had a conversation with my girlfriend the other day that included her saying "Sean Connery was James Bond?"

[Garth]

I had a conversation with my girlfriend the other day that included her saying "Sean Connery was James Bond?"

I hope you proceeded to dump her immediately.

[Greenville 90210]

On a less serious (but sincere) note, I had to wikipedia "Porky Pig" to understand who you were talking about. :sad:

Did you watch cartoons as a kid?

[Garth]

On a less serious (but sincere) note, I had to wikipedia "Porky Pig" to understand who you were talking about. :sad:

Does "Th'Th'Th'Th, That's All Folks" ring a bell? He was the first cartoon to make fun of a speech impediment. Kind of like a precursor to Howard Stern.

[RickLM]

My kids are 9 and 12 and have seen very little Loony Tunes and Flintstones and have never seen the Jetsons, Johnny Quest, the original Batman TV show, or the Addams Family.

We used to watch those after school, but today, local TV stations will show Judge Joe Brown or Jerry Springer in the 3-6 pm slot. Very sad.

[TheHanna]

This is why every TV every where should receive the Boomerang Channel. That is kinda depressing to think that these kids don't know these characters.

[RickLM]

Also . . . they've seen very few Little Rascals or Three Stooges shows. I lived on those things.