WHAT'S A GIRL TO DO?

This blog is making me nuts. I signed in the way I always have so far, and everything looked different than it normally does and then I didn't know what to do. I have no issues with humility. Regularly I am humbled by anything electronic or computer-like. Last night a volunteer said I must have a REALLY good memory. No way-it's 6 1/2 steps past horrible. He said, "Well you must have a really high IQ". It's not too bad, if I do say so myself, but it doesn't help with this. Idiot savant perhaps. He also said that I need to use spellcheck on my blogs. I'm not going to. So there. (Wink to you Joe B.)
Anyway, things have been so crazy lately and I have been sooooooooo mad that on Wednesday I thought my hair might blow off my head from it. One of boys in our program got transferred to another facility. An administrator decided he would be a good influence at another detention facilty (the only other maximum security in the region) so he enticed him to go with promises of paid work and some other perks. I understand the logic of the decision, but why would you take a kid who has been assigned a dog???? We are largely trying to teach responsibility and compassion. The kids are experiencing and practicing taking care on a living being. YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE!!!!!
What are we supposed to do with the dog-just ignor it, give it to someone else, put it in the street? It is time consuming to find the right kids and dogs. We are 2 weeks into the program. We have to start over and that impacts the schedule for the year. It sets an example for exactly the OPPOSITE of what we are trying to teach. I was 100 steps past pissed. I wrote emails and ranted and raved. Guess how much good it did?
You are correct.
Then I found out that we did not get our grant from the Dept. Of Public Safety. I think my next blog will be about the St. Louis Board of Alderman. That is what made me madder than anything that could happen at Hogan Street. There is a reason they are referred to as "The Carnival". Another day.

This saga continues. Today I find out that one of the boys in the program is stealing other kids clothes. Now this is a huge dilemma. Why? You tell me why, before I explain.

1. He steals presumably because he has so little.

2. I think the core belief of most of these kids is that they have no ability to ever make enough money legally to live comfortably with the skills they have or will have. They are probably right. More stealing. Gangs provide money.

3. One of our tenets is to work through problems, not expect that there will be no problems and then work to improve.

4. Boys are supposed to understand that having a dog is a prividege that they earn.

5. This kid is really good with the dog and he is a good listener, but I would set the example for the other boys that we condone stealing or that you don't have to earn the dog.

6. Which does most harm, most good-letting him keep the dog or taking it away.

I re read this and can see that I didn't really give a GOOD explanation of the dilemma, but I have 0 time right now. Gotta fly through this.

Dog is taken away tomorrow. My numbers are going to hell fast and I want to help this kid.
I am holding on the the premise that enabling is not helping. He will have a chance to come back, if he improves his behavior.

What would you do???

Gotta go. Have to go for the "late shift" at Hogan Street.
Thoughts create things. Think good thoughts.

I am thinking that anyone reading this is surrounded with love, safety and happy surprises.
Cindy