Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Kyle's dad with an update.
What a terrible night. I feel like bursting into tears. The terms of Kyle's contract we mentioned in the last post called for him to be home no later than 10:00 PM, to do the reasonable jobs around the house he is assigned, to not leave home without permision, and so forth. We made it clear that once he gains our trust again, we could quickly relax the terms of the contract. But since he's an adult, and is greatly disrupting the family as a whole, these were the terms. If he chose not to comply with the terms, we chose not to provide him a place to live. It was Kyle's choice, and he understood and signed the contract.
At 10:00 tonight the phone rings, Kyle is on the phone for all of 3 seconds, hangs up, and starts preparing to leave. We sit him down, and make sure he knows what he's doing. We tell him if he leaves, he can't return. He shrugs, says we knew he would break it eventually, and walks out. I follow him outside, watch him climb into the back seat of the SUV out front, and ask him if this was what he really wanted. He said yes it was. I told him I was sorry, and they drove off.
I don't know how things will shake out right now. Kyle just got a job, and was really happy about that, and I was really proud of him for getting one. I shook his hand and told him that. That's not the kind of event you hug your son about, it's a handshaking event. A "welcome to manhood, son..." type of thing. He is supposed to work tomorrow, his first full day, and I really hope he makes it there somehow. But knowing him, if he can't shower and prepare first, he won't go. That's the way he is...
I can't write more tonight, that's all I can handle. Damn, I hope we did the right thing...
What a terrible night. I feel like bursting into tears. The terms of Kyle's contract we mentioned in the last post called for him to be home no later than 10:00 PM, to do the reasonable jobs around the house he is assigned, to not leave home without permision, and so forth. We made it clear that once he gains our trust again, we could quickly relax the terms of the contract. But since he's an adult, and is greatly disrupting the family as a whole, these were the terms. If he chose not to comply with the terms, we chose not to provide him a place to live. It was Kyle's choice, and he understood and signed the contract.
At 10:00 tonight the phone rings, Kyle is on the phone for all of 3 seconds, hangs up, and starts preparing to leave. We sit him down, and make sure he knows what he's doing. We tell him if he leaves, he can't return. He shrugs, says we knew he would break it eventually, and walks out. I follow him outside, watch him climb into the back seat of the SUV out front, and ask him if this was what he really wanted. He said yes it was. I told him I was sorry, and they drove off.
I don't know how things will shake out right now. Kyle just got a job, and was really happy about that, and I was really proud of him for getting one. I shook his hand and told him that. That's not the kind of event you hug your son about, it's a handshaking event. A "welcome to manhood, son..." type of thing. He is supposed to work tomorrow, his first full day, and I really hope he makes it there somehow. But knowing him, if he can't shower and prepare first, he won't go. That's the way he is...
I can't write more tonight, that's all I can handle. Damn, I hope we did the right thing...
