(no subject)

[threeplusfire]

It's raining, loud heavy rain with big thunder crashes that make everyone flinch and hunker down. All the smokers have to huddle in the one tiny spot that's protected from the rain and even so my pants are still wet. It's nice though to have the rain and not burning skies.

Work is quiet. It's that beginning of summer thing, so the schools aren't calling. Give it another week or so and things should pick up I suppose. I've had several anonymous callers who just gave me no clue through subtle prodding as to how they know the folks they are reporting. One crying hysterical grandmother from my second least favorite city was hard, but not as bad as it could be.

My back hurts from slipping on the step yesterday and sitting down so hard. It's just a dull ache, more from the shock of it than anything else. I'm so afraid of falling down, which is lame.

Yay new calendar picture. This month it's Gandalf the White, so all is well.

Comments

[seitvonzu.livejournal.com]

i have a work related question for you! it's okay if you can't answer it (it might vary by state), but dan and i have been curious about this for a while (basically since i've been in the schools dealing with kids from all sorts of backgrounds and circumstances...)

at what age are kids allowed to be unsupervised? i guess that's a pretty general question, eh? i remember all that stuff when we were little about "latch key" kids and i swear some were as young as 7 or so, and noone really said "boo" about it, but dan thinks that is illegal. just today a teacher was telling me about a child that is dimissed from school and goes to the library as his "pick up" spot. however, some teachers have seem the child at the library as late as 7pm. i actually walked to the library today and it's not terribly close to the school (you have to cross a couple streets, semi-busy)...they also don't allow kids to be at the library unsupervised (well, there are a billion signs to that effect at the library )

dan's solution was that the library should complain to the school and the school would then need to insist that the mother make another arrangement. my fear is the child would then be at home alone, and from the other stuff i was told- being at the library (even unsupervised) is a HUGE improvement on the child's environment. that he is walking their after school is the least of the kiddos problems! :(

mostly i'm just curious if it is actually ILLEGAL at some point for kids to be unsupervised?

(sorry to ramble, i see some really crazy examples of parent at these schools, i just can't imagine your job and what you hear! have i told you lately "thank you thank you?" :)

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

It is my generaly understanding that 7 about the low limit for latchkey kids. Texas law allows for this. You might want to google Maryland family code and see if they have it online for your area. A 7yo could be home alone so long as they were mature enough not be doing risky things, knew how to dial 911 or run to a neighbor, etc. If the kids has any special needs, that changes of course, or if the child is too immature to look after themself. Having the kid wait at a library unsupervised is really questionable to me, especially if he is left there for hours at a time.

Maryland's 800 number for CPS is 800-452-1999. I don't know if that is 24 hour or not. You might give them a call and ask them about the guidelines for supervision there.

[seitvonzu.livejournal.com]

wow. thanks for that number. i'm going to put it on a sticky on my computer monitor frame. i don't want to be a nuisance to the schools or the cps, but sometimes i get worried about things i see and don't know what to do. sometimes i feel like the schools/teachers/administration are overwhelmed (even in our relatively affluent area- it's SHOCKING) and i also sometimes feel like i hear things the schools don't hear...maybe because i'm an outsider.

thanks again :)

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Absolutely. Since you are working with the kids even as a part time or substitute person, it's my understanding that you are considered a professional. Far better to ask some questions, I think. I'm always happy to talk with you about anything you have concerns about, of course. there may be some things that may be different in your state, so you can hit them up too.