Right now I'm feeling like a complete failure as a mom.

Sheryl, this is a very, very hard situation your family is in. But you are the opposite of a failure here -- you are pursuing treatment to help your son, and that is my definition of a great parent. There is no way in which you've failed him.

{{{Sheryl}} I know how difficult this decision is. I had to hospitalize my son Brendon a couple times as a teen due to drug issues. You are doing what you need to do for the health and safety of your child. You and Gary have been wonderful parents who are doing everything possible to give your son the care and treatment he needs. Please be kind to yourselves. You are caring loving parents.

Steph and Laura are right. The challenges you've been handed with Mr. S are NOT the standard things like skinned knees and refusing to eat vegetables that every parent is expected to deal with on their own. You're seeking out people with the expertise to give your son the help he needs.

(((Sheryl and Mr S))) But I think this is a good thing

{{{Sheryl}}} Getting your kid the help he needs makes you a good mom.

I wanted to separate my random work problems but I do want to say that my concern with the openly reading has way less to do with how the workers (who are no longer students, which it is why it is a concern) spend their downtime than how other gossipy/somewhat malicious people might react and how that might lead to the closing of the position as “not needed” because I have allowed downtime. So I would really just prefer they “look busy”. I have provided training opportunities and a framework for documenting operations that they can work on in downtime which have not been worked on and they probably need guidance, but the reality is that 6 out of 8 hours, I am in Zoom meetings so my preference is that they at least look like they are busy. I know that is terrible. But they no longer have the student worker studying excuse I can use so I am afraid I will be told to tell them to clock out instead of waiting for me to give them something else and I want to give them hours…

Thanks everyone.

Matilda's friend Carlin is here for a sleepover...

Me: What do you want for dinner?
Matilda: How about fried rice?
Me: Okay. Carlin, any dietary restrictions? Ham, chicken, egg...
Carlin: Nope!
Me: Got it.
[after I leave]
Carlin (to Matilda): OMG, this is the first time I'll have fried rice by a white person!

[It was deemed acceptable. Probably due to my copious use of Fish Sauce, Garlic and Five Spice.]

Went back after....

Me: Okay, how was it?
Carlin: It wasn't BAD...
Me: But not as good as your grandmother makes it?
Carlin: Right.

I mean, fair enough. Who's going to match Grandma's skills ever, anywhere? I, however, do not have grandma fried rice bias, so... anytime, is what I'm saying. (Banana pudding on the other hand, Grandma Gilmore has a lock, I'm afraid.)

Continued moving -ma!

I saw something a longish while ago about a young man who was traveling and his grandmother worried that he wouldn't be eating well or eating enough. So, as he traveled, he found grandmothers who were willing to feed him and sent pictures to his grandmother. They showed him sitting down to a good meal with a beaming grandmother nearby.