Scott was due to pick up Carlton tomorrow for a weekend at home. The counselor called to say that Carlton said (his words) he "did not feel comfortable" being home. Hummm. Interesting to Scott and I. Scott told the worker that was fine. Because it simply is. Several thoughts coming to mind.... Carlton wants to hunt every time he is home. Our family, for the most part, hunt on my dad's farm. Due to Carlton's behavior and lack of respect my father no longer will allow Carlton to hunt there. We did not tell Carlton that (perhaps we should have), but when he has been home there not been a good time to hunt this fall and we really just felt that it would be worst for him to know he "couldn't" than we didn't "get to" hunt. When Carlton is home he stays in the room next to Scott and mine. He does not have a room in the addition (where my big boys are) and with our younger boys now up there (Michael and Seth) we feel it is better for him to be near us. He feels he should have the same privileges of the 17/18 year old brothers, but they have earned their bedtimes and freedom. Both boys work and are respectful, helpful and just plain older. Carlton is "charming" with our tween girls and that is enough cause for us to not give him too much freedom. I think the fact that he does not understand our concerns or talk to us about them is just another re-enforcement to us that we are properly supervising him. Oh yeah...and we are kinda "silly" about game ratings...meaning you can't play inappropriate ones.
She asked about our visit last Sunday. You know it was perhaps one of the best we have had. Likely because I only took "big kids" who were talkative and inquisition and supportive of Carlton. They asked meaningful questions and responded exactly as they should. We ate at Chilli's and he got to order whatever he chose...(huge to my kids to have no restrictions). He talked about levels at the ranch, about his desire to play football, about movies he has watched and about hunting rabbits on the Ames Plantations and using "Bengals" to chase them (yes he said Bengals...and I am pretty sure he meant beagles). He is really not a great listener and had a hard time answering many questions (he simply had no clue...even though they related to him), but the plus side to having neat big kids with me was that they just steered the conversation away from awkward moments and spent the majority of the time laughing and cutting up.
Scott felt it could be as simple as Carlton wanting to see a girl at church on Valentines Day....but we don't know. We will be going to have a sit down conversation with Carlton and all concerned before Spring Break. We could not be happier with the supervision and level of structure and the very priority God plays in the workings of their lives... To us...if Carlton is more successful there, and never came home for a visit we would understand. Time will tell and we will see. But for this weekend, we will not be on the road an extra 6 hours and that is a nice blessing.
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