A little background

As young student social worker I had the opportunity to work in a children's home in South Africa.  There I have met the most incredible bunch of children, children who against all odds survived circumstances that would make the average person's nightmares look like a happy dream.  They did survive but not without scars. It was there, amongst those amazing people, that I discovered my passion for working with emotionally disturbed children, children with severe behaviour difficulties and children with special needs.

I remember working with two girls once, twins, of whom one, Sarah, suffered from borderline personality disorder and was prone to self harm while her sister Amanda led a seemingly normal life without any apparent difficulties. In contrast to Sarah, Amanda excelled in school, was popular amongst her peers and teachers and was a talented singer.  In her own words, Amanda told me during a chat about her violent past "... but my life is different now.  It's happy, happy, happy!".  This incident made me wonder whether attitude alone was enough for some children to overcome difficulties.  Was Amanda really as happy as she believed she was?  Would her past catch up with her during her adult years?  Today Amanda is a married  woman with a little boy of her own.  She gave up her job to be a full-time mum.  She is happy and my fears are put to rest:  the ghost of her past did not catch up with her.  But what was her secret?

As I would learn during the following years, attitude alone is not enough to overcome adversaries, sometimes love isn't even enough.  I haven't come across a case like Amanda's again but knowing her and working with
her kept my hope flickering even where other saw no hope at all.

Thank you, Amanda.

I started this blog mainly as a way for me to keep notes of happenings in my class and of individual or small group work I'm doing with my kids.  So much are happening in a day that it is impossible to remember and recall it all in enough detail when you need to.  A diary if you will or an account of personal and professional development but it is more than that, it is also an account of the bravery and compassion of my kids, of how the frailness of a moment can be turned into strength and empowerment for a lifetime.  I share this blog with you in the hope that we can encourage and support each other.  I can learn a lot form you're experiences and maybe you can learn from mine.