Red's Wrap
Happiness. It's relative.
Tag: child welfare
Inspection
I came at three, the meeting mandatory Walked the tiny path to the back door A black garbage bag, full, crammed, untied Dripping on to the yard, iced tea bottles with no lids She answered my knocking, she’d been waiting A stack of newspapers… Continue Reading “Inspection”
Heart like a Stone
From my seat at the table, I could see Marla walking across the courtyard with a young woman, probably her foster care case manager. They were walking fast, in step, almost like they were a couple that might be holding hands except Marla was holding… Continue Reading “Heart like a Stone”
Taking Care of the Weeds
My mother’s parenting advice to me was succinct and a hair disappointing. “Children are like weeds. If you leave them alone, they grow up.” There it is. Straight from the Less is More School of Parenting. Having heard this more than once while I… Continue Reading “Taking Care of the Weeds”
No Friends Allowed
“We don’t want them to have friends. We don’t want them getting attached to the other girls or to staff members.” This baffled me. How do you keep girls from making friends? And why wouldn’t you want them to get attached to staff? Wouldn’t… Continue Reading “No Friends Allowed”
How Many Chances Do You Get?
9 of 18 What’s fair, do you think? One chance? Two? Three strikes and you’re out? Say you’re a mom who left your five-year old and six-month old baby alone so you could score some heroin on the corner. Should you get another chance?… Continue Reading “How Many Chances Do You Get?”
Long Story Short: Getting Investigated by Child Welfare
When the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare comes to your door, they don’t look happy and cheery like they do in the picture. And the people they’re coming to visit aren’t smiling either. Child welfare workers have the legal authority to immediately detain a child… Continue Reading “Long Story Short: Getting Investigated by Child Welfare”
Big Sad Hole
Anything Crocker Stephenson writes, I read right away. Love his writing – how he gives readers a seat across the table from a crack addict – and I trust his eye. He is, as my grandmother would say, just right as rain — or… Continue Reading “Big Sad Hole”
Snow Door | wisconsinacademy.org
Listen to Jan read her essay “Billy” presented on WUWM’s Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “At the Breakfast Bar” on WUWM Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “The Parish Hall,” on WUWM Lake Effect
“Fury Cannot Touch Me,” Modern Love, NYT, 9/29/11
Recent Comments