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My 7yo son decided to take a stroll the other day while Mama was at work. He was the first one up, Papa and siblings were still asleep. He know he's not allowed to go out the door by himself. He went out the window instead, and he didn't bother with any clothes.

Children Services now wants to investigate.

We live in a small house, we homeschool, and dad stays home with the kids. None of these things are likely to endear us to Children Services. I'd sure like to get through this quickly, with all of our kids still in our possession, un-drugged, and without the ongoing "kind" attentions of the County - whose record is not stellar.

Prayers humbly and rather urgently sought.

Sharon

Prayers to be added to my prayer list tonight.

Love in Christ,
Alice

I can relate to your experience, when my grandaughter Nevia was 2 1/2 she would push the living room window screen out & escape, then she learned how to unlock the front screen door, exit stage left. Though she never liked going to the back yard.

Prayers for you & family.

james

Oh my!

Prayers indeed, Sharon, that Children's Services remembers that children are children...And, prayers for your little ones, that they escape these interviews without being frightened too much...Preayer still more for you and your husband, who have a more focussed dread to contend with.

Gaudior, on bended knee

My deepest prayers for you and all those who have been persecuted for the "crime" of homeschooling.

Sharon,
You and are your family are in my prayers. If you like I can place you on a benedictine spirituality prayer list.

Peace

Sharon,

My prayers for you and your family. I can relate when I consider how close we came to the same experience. Last summer, while our home was being deleaded, we had to relocate to a third-floor apartment in a less than desirable neighborhood, across town. On our first day there, Mom went to the store and I was feeding our then 1 month old.

Our almost-3 hyperactive son was playing quietly in another room and slipped into the kitchen, discovering that he could open the door that Mom thought she had dead-bolted - but, being unfamiliar with the lock, had mistakenly only latched. He headed out and successfully navigated three stories of railed porches and stairs, climbed a fence into the parking lot of the next door Seventh Day Adventist church and was proceeding to splash happily in the rain puddles there, clothed only in a diaper.

I'm blissfully feeding the baby, and thinking how well-behaved my son is being, when I hear a chorus of loud voices in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. It didn't take much linguistic skill to reduce the babel to "whose child is that?" and raise the hair on my neck. Sure enough, it was Conor, visible far below and far away as I hurried down the switchback stairways, baby in arms. I was most grateful for the kindness of the SDA pastor in assisting me to corral him, as he raced this way and that, laughing with delight, and intent on not being captured.

When Mom returned, we commiserated and planned strategy to prevent a recurrence, only to find the police at our door, summoned by a concerned neighbor. (In fairness to the caller, he or she knew nothing of us and saw a child, too young to be left alone, in danger; as one of the officers said, it's hard to fault someone for being concerned about your child when he or she was at obvious risk.) Luckily, especially considering that we were only partially moved in - mattresses on the floor - refrigerator as yet unstocked - one of the two officers allowed me to convince him that we were victims of circumstance and that it wasn't necessary to call the Dept of Social Services; his partner was more than ready to do so.

My prayers and thoughts are with you. I have a suspicion it's tougher to explain a 7 year old pulling off such an adventure, but I could easily imagine it happening here 3 years hence. Kids are wonderful little folks and people need to remember that they not only "say the darnedest things" (as Art Linkletter proved), but they also "do the darnedest things", as well.

Unfortunately, society today being too often the dangerous place that we see reflected in the news, what once would have been the amusing stuff of a potential anecdote in Reader's Digest, has the potential to trigger a governmental intrusion into one's life. The sad part is that, when you consider what sometimes passes for parenting today and the consequences that result, you have to admit that such maybe has to happen. You know that you aren't part of the problem, just a victim of a child's adventure, but because there isn't a ready barometer by which to separate the caring from the careless, I don't know a ready solution.

My oldest daughter is interning for her Master's in Social Work and regularly becomes involved in tales of horror, in both the nicest neighborhoods and those you'd hesitate to visit. I've spent my professional life in human services, social services, and health care, much of it involved with children. I don't know what the answer is - but, I remember the conflicted feelings, a sinking sensation, indignation, and realizing somewhere in the back of my mind that suddenly I wasn't the system, I was in the system. I didn't like it, but I wasn't sure it was (or should be) avoidable .

Many years,

Neil, who has babbled long enough and will switch, instead, to a praying mode

Sharon,

May the Most Pure Theotokos watch and pray over your blessed little innocents as they ramble into the world's cares. May the nerves of your social worker be soothed and comforted by the Holy Spirit. May your blessed little family be held in the hand of the Father, and protected by the Blood of the Son. May nothing but Peace reign in your home.

In Christ and the Theotokos,

Tammy

Sharon, as a teacher I have discovered that about the time I think I understand children, they find a new way to hurt themselves. My prayers are with you and I hope for the best outcome for you.

Charles

Prayers from another homeschooling family.

St. Nicholas, patron of children, pray for your servants.

IF homeschooling becomes an issue with them, contact the Home School Legal Defense Association ASAP!!!! Even if you do not belong as a member, you will receive valuable advice and referral to home-school friendly attorneys near you if it gets to that point (God forbid).

I looked a bit and another organization you can call for help and guidance if you get to that point is:

Christian Home Educators of Ohio
117 W Main St Ste 103
Lancaster, OH 43130
Phone: (740) 654-3331
Fax: (740) 654-3337
E-mail: cheo@cheohome.org

Many thanks to all - I would be a WRECK without the supportive chorus of many prayers.

We were visited last night. It went as well as these things can go, but the supervisor has the last word. We should hear something within 30 days - one hopes what we hear is "case closed, no further action."


We are still on edge, but less so than yesterday - I went home from work early petrified that my husband was going to have a stroke.

We're hangn' in there.....

Thanks to all - may God bless you richly.

Sharon

Sharon,

Apologies. I just read this, so my prayers are a little after the incident, but heartfelt anyway with hopes things are looking up now.

Bless you and your family,


Porter aka Mary Jo

Dearest Jesus, in your authority we have life. The life of this family of yours is under persecution, take authority Jesus, that in and through your mighty name, the Name above all Names you will be glorified. Let this all be in right relationship, that of yours alone. Amen

Sharon,

Be at peace. God is in control.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Paul

Sharon,

I will remember you and your family in my prayers while I am at the HRM pilgrimage this weekend.

Your sister in Christ, Michelle