[JE5]⋙ Read Gratis The Things I Want Most The Extraordinary Story Of A Boy Journey To A Family Of His Own Richard Miniter 9780553109337 Books

The Things I Want Most The Extraordinary Story Of A Boy Journey To A Family Of His Own Richard Miniter 9780553109337 Books

Download As PDF : The Things I Want Most The Extraordinary Story Of A Boy Journey To A Family Of His Own Richard Miniter 9780553109337 Books

The Things I Want Most The Extraordinary Story Of A Boy Journey To A Family Of His Own Richard Miniter 9780553109337 Books

A brutally honest account of taking a very disturbed boy into their home through foster care. Having done a similar thing, I could totally relate to his frustration with the totally watered down academics and lowered expectations that come with a lot of these kids. I can understand the frustration of teachers trying to teach a bunch of kids like this, but when a foster parent steps in and is doing their best to help the kids want more out of their life, they tend to get patronized and ignored. Also, the web of social services that comes with foster kids has its good points, but it can be sclerotic and unresponsive. The counselors often come and go every few months, so even though the kid is going to appointments, nothing is happening because who wants to bare their soul to a counselor that will leave in 2 or 3 months? Also, the medications. Most of these kids end up on several meds to try and keep their behavior acceptable. They end up kind of zombieized and flat, and it hinders their progress if they get into a real family situation. I totally agree with what they did regarding stopping the meds. Richard and Sue took some huge risks treating him like one of their kids; leaving knives and sharp things around, letting him play outside unsupervised, letting their sons do some "socializing" on their terms. It is what "Mike" needed, and having social workers that give the family that kind of leeway is fairly unusual. The social safety network whether it is child protective services or adult protective services, is mostly about avoiding risk. There is not much room for common sense anymore, or any ability to take risk. "Mike" was much more destructive than the foster youth we took in and adopted, but the emotional issues are much the same, and very frustrating. Our daughter, after 5 yrs with us, still bonds to a strange dude spouting sweet promises yet holds us at arms' length and doesn't trust us. I'm so glad that they didn't give up on "Mike", and that he got a chance at a normal life.


Tags : The Things I Want Most: The Extraordinary Story Of A Boy's Journey To A Family Of His Own [Richard Miniter] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Since his removal from an abusive home, eleven-year-old Mike had been placed with a dozen foster families and institutions. Medication could not control his defiant,Richard Miniter,The Things I Want Most: The Extraordinary Story Of A Boy's Journey To A Family Of His Own,Bantam,0553109332,Adoption & Fostering,Family Parenting Childbirth,Biography,Case studies,Family & Relationships,Family & Relationships Adoption & Fostering,FamilyMarriage,Foster home care,Foster home care;Case studies.,GENERAL,General Adult,Non-Fiction,SERVICES FOR ABUSED CHILDREN,Therapeutic foster care,Therapeutic foster care;Case studies.,United States

The Things I Want Most The Extraordinary Story Of A Boy Journey To A Family Of His Own Richard Miniter 9780553109337 Books Reviews

Wonderfully written and informative. Language used by child can be shocking. It seems that this book would be helpful to others who foster or adopt challenged children
Written from perspective of a couple who are trying their best to love and accept a kid who fights against them. This is honest look into what is involved in Foster care with kids who are highly damaged/troubled. The effects on the Foster parents and their own children in the process of loving this child is reveling. Well written by the Foster dad.
What a wonderful and insightful trove of memories! Rich points out many problems with the system's way of dealing with children who have been treated horribly. He writes beautifully, but I was sad that a portion of the book was not edited well for capitalization.
I found this book disturbing because I wondered what happened to the boy Mike later in life. I was doing a casual Google search and came upon the obituary of the author. It listed his six children and gave their names, which are the names of his biological children mentioned in the book. No mention of "Mike". - except that a hint that Mike changed his name to Sean? Now I wonder whatever happened to this poor kid, and if he was finally abandoned by the family? I was hoping he had a happy life.
The story of an extremely disturbed foster child makes compelling reading, and the story is well told. Had that been all, I would have given the book 5 stars. However, I found the editing errors quite distracting. Apparently the author’s computer lacks an apostrophe, so contractions and possessives went without. Also, there were several chapters where proper names and the word I were not capitalized; a fault more distracting because the names Sue and Rich have other meanings as sue and rich
It took courage to tell this story of how difficult it can be for the foster parents and for the troubled foster child. What strength and endurance to survive such a nightmare. My heart was hurting for Mike and the entire family. I didn't want to stop reading because I really wanted the story to end well. Sadly, not all stories end well, but for wanna-be foster parents this is a must read. Even with love and the best of intentions foster care is a challenge that makes routine parenting seem like a piece of cake. We all know that isn't true. This family deserves a huge thank you from everyone. A child's life was turned around and society benefits.
This story riveted me, keeping me up most the night reading until just a couple of chapters remained. It is the story of a couple with grown children, who take in and take on a foster child, severely injured physically, mentally and emotionally by the people and happenings in his life. The book details the fights and struggles the family endures to make remarkable progress with an impossible situation and child. But the book falls down in the last chapter. After exquisitely detailing the horrors and small progress made, the last chapter quickly closes the story without giving any much wanted information on how the story ends, with the boy leaving their care. More info please!
A brutally honest account of taking a very disturbed boy into their home through foster care. Having done a similar thing, I could totally relate to his frustration with the totally watered down academics and lowered expectations that come with a lot of these kids. I can understand the frustration of teachers trying to teach a bunch of kids like this, but when a foster parent steps in and is doing their best to help the kids want more out of their life, they tend to get patronized and ignored. Also, the web of social services that comes with foster kids has its good points, but it can be sclerotic and unresponsive. The counselors often come and go every few months, so even though the kid is going to appointments, nothing is happening because who wants to bare their soul to a counselor that will leave in 2 or 3 months? Also, the medications. Most of these kids end up on several meds to try and keep their behavior acceptable. They end up kind of zombieized and flat, and it hinders their progress if they get into a real family situation. I totally agree with what they did regarding stopping the meds. Richard and Sue took some huge risks treating him like one of their kids; leaving knives and sharp things around, letting him play outside unsupervised, letting their sons do some "socializing" on their terms. It is what "Mike" needed, and having social workers that give the family that kind of leeway is fairly unusual. The social safety network whether it is child protective services or adult protective services, is mostly about avoiding risk. There is not much room for common sense anymore, or any ability to take risk. "Mike" was much more destructive than the foster youth we took in and adopted, but the emotional issues are much the same, and very frustrating. Our daughter, after 5 yrs with us, still bonds to a strange dude spouting sweet promises yet holds us at arms' length and doesn't trust us. I'm so glad that they didn't give up on "Mike", and that he got a chance at a normal life.