Teresa & Mike CHS - Our journal

[greybeard]

Actually Maisy still fusses at him but she will stop fussing long enough to eat her food.

Odd how that is huh?
Kinda like my children were too..yap yap yap till ya put free plate of food in front of 'em.

 

[Latestarter]

Bet it's the same today... Is with my kids... Grand kids too.

 

[Bruce]

He is in 10th grade this year but it has been good for both him and us. His Grandmother has told us that she thinks we were sent to save him from himself as he has become much more responsible and out of trouble since he started working with us. He is 'officially' going through an apprenticeship with us as part of his school program. It works as fun for him since when he is working on projects for credit it isn't paid and he likes it. He's learning some good wood working skills.

Kids with a purpose (I'll go out on a limb here) always make out better than those that just meander along. He has a sense of purpose, knows that you appreciate what he does for you (paid in cash or school credit) and is learning skills most of his classmates probably are not. All good for one's self esteem. Who knows what path he will take that he might not have considered without these experiences.

 

[Mike CHS]

We are hoping that's the way it will go Bruce. If you believe that genes have a part in growing up the odds were stacked against him not long ago. That has changed a lot in the last year or so and hopefully will continue.

We are getting ready to put up another 1500' of fence so he will stay busy anyway.

 

[Mike CHS]

I just put up some netting to let the sheep out on some fresh grass and used the opportunity to get a couple of pictures of Maisy and the pup. I got him on the scale this morning and he has topped 37 pounds now. The area where the netting is in the picture will be about a quarter of what gets fenced next. This will be the main paddock from this point on.

 

[Baymule]

You are having a positive impact on this young man when he needs it the most. You and Teresa are Angels from Heaven sent to pull this young man from the spot he was in to make him a responsible, productive member of society.

 

[Bruce]

LOVE the pictures of the dogs!!!! (Sheep aren't bad either)

Nature vs Nurture. You can't change the first but you sure can modify the outcome of it with the second. I'm betting you and Teresa are extra important in that BECAUSE you aren't family. Kids get too comfortable (and entitled) with family. They will do things for others that they won't do at home. And you have a "working relationship" with him that validates him outside the home. That is a confidence builder and gives a kid reasons to be productive rather than get into trouble with "idle hands".

 

[Mike CHS]

We hope so but he has also given us an awful lot since we left our family behind in Charleston.

He has also developed a strong interest in sheep. He is buying two once we make sure they are bred. He wants the one we called Wild Thing before she tamed down and also one of the lambs (actually our #1 lamb born in December). Wild Thing is the big girl directly behind Thor in the picture that looks like at a minimum she is carrying twins and probably triplets.

 

[Bruce]

So if he buys Wild Thing, he might get 4 for the price of one

 

[Mike CHS]

So if he buys Wild Thing, he might get 4 for the price of one

That is the idea.