“My son has been attending. Our home has been a war zone since school started. I’ve paid people to try and help him with this schooling at home. He refuses help. Is angry. At night when I review his work, it starts fights and never ends well. Disrupting his sister during the day as she tries to keep up with her studies has also caused great tension.

He has been struggling with depression since his mother chose to take her own life last November, the day after Thanksgiving. He missed so much school as you can imagine. Getting him back into the routine of school was the saving grace. He was needing that social support from friends and teachers while dad is hard at work. Just when things were looking a tad more manageable For him, the shutdown happened. He has struggled being inside at home so much. School remotely from home is near impossible as a full time Working parent to Monitor. Especially with a child who is feeling like he doesn’t even care. A kid who has literally been in his bedroom for 10 mos. and doesn’t want to come out for anything.

Of course at first he protested the idea. The staff at the fairgrounds have connected with him, Helping him swiftly bring his grades up. They have seen his Personal needs as well. He has been given responsibility to help smaller children & help suggest craft projects which he loves. As well he has made friends he looks forward to seeing. He has been getting up so excited to go.
I literally have had to force him out of bed for months. Last night I offered to let him stay home as there is no school today for county. He insisted he did not want a day off from going there. He’s having too much fun & feeling so well supported.

This missing social aspect in our children’s lives may prove to cause more damage than good in my opinion. Many families must be struggling. Single parents especially. I hope the program grows in interest. It has been a blessing so far. I am so grateful for those involved. Feel free to share this email, if you choose, with the staff there at the program.
I know there was some negative pushback. There always is. But I haven’t seen my son smile in months until this past week.

Thank you!”