A neighbor boy asked me if I was a witch

[bleedingheart]

this kid is one of 5 that my neighbors up the street have. I have posted about them before...basically the eldest three wander about all day and look for someone in the neighborhood to care for them.

They have been on some people's porches as early as 8am on a Sunday morning...to give you an idea of what is going on here.

So yesterday I am weeding in my garden and the middle child asks me..."are you a witch? cuz you seem to have a lot of money?"

Now I found this very interesting and asked him ..."why do you think I have a lot of money?" ..he replies..."cuz you have all these plants and stuff"... I took the time to explain that it has taken years for me to have all the plants in my yard and that many are gifts from fellow gardeners...

but I know that a 6 year old boy didn't come up with this on his own...so I know it is his parents....who meanwhile don't even say boo to me even when their kids are on my property for hours on end...

So the next time I am doing bus stop duty I am going to wear my witch's hat that I bought for Halloween last year.

[Crazy Guggenheim]

1. I feel for the kids.

[bleedingheart]

4. it is really sad ..

the kids have no manners, they run wild most of the time....the father has this "survival of the fittest" way of raising those kids and the mother is just plain out of it.

so these kids have no manners, poor hygiene and two of them have speech impediments and have done very poorly in school...

[Zomby Woof]

2. Tell them witches ride brooms

Not Big Wheels. ;-)

[bleedingheart]

6. hahahahah!

[BikeWriter]

3. It's a damned shame how some children are raised.

[tigereye]

5. that would be funny if it weren't so sad

his folks must think money comes from inside a cauldron! Not from actually getting an education and working! ;)

[bleedingheart]

7. it is sad...

meanwhile we live in a modest neighborhood by local standards...the standard 3 bedroom brick ranches built in the late 60's....these aren't real fancy schmancy houses...they actually live in a much newer home than ours...but the parents don't do shit to fix the house up outside.

The backyard is a mud pit..no swingset, no basketball hoop, no sand box...nothing...and yet they have 5 kids. But wait ..they did buy them a trampoline that three of them will jump on...in spite of the fact that no adult is supervising them...and it should only have 1 kid at a time...

They are so rough that my children refuse to play with them anymore.. One day I saw another neighbor kid go over there and within 30 minutes I heard the following exchange.

"stop spraying water on me"

"stop spraying water on me"

"stop or I am going to go home"

and then this kid just left...and those kids started crying because the boy left....

they clearly don't understand that being mean and rough don't make them welcome playmates...

[-..__...]

8. You should have turned him into a newt.

[ronnykmarshall]

9. Were you stirring your cauldron at the time?

[China_cat]

10. You might want to rethink wearing the hat.

If he's getting that you must be a witch if you have a lot of plants, he may also be getting 'thou shalt not suffer a witch to live'. Reinforce his belief and he might end up feeling justified in trying to burn you...if not at the stake, at least in your home.

[bleedingheart]

13. actually I have a feeling his misogynistic father calls me a

bitch...and the poor thing doesn't hear quiet right to begin with (consistent sinus infections that go untreated)..

The jerk father has openly called his wife a cow cuz she didn't drop all the baby weight off quickly enough...he is a first class pig.

[China_cat]

19. You're probably right.

But I'd still be careful.

[bleedingheart]

23. He brought a toy gun to school today...

Started squirting some kid during class and got hauled down to the principal's office.

Now there is a school policy about this type of stuff and yet his moronic mother doesn't seem to know what he is taking to school.

[ucmike]

11. reminds me of my neighbor in college

he was 5-6 yrs old, we hung out with him and his mom on occassion (single mother, no guys around). one day while i was at work he found my girlfriend by the pool and asked her "why does he beat you?" she explained that i don't-and never did-beat her.

he was perplexed but accepted that, he must have thought it was normal for men to beat on women. i guess he saw it happen before, maybe explaining why she became a single mother. (we never asked-they seemed pretty well situated and were having a normal life when we knew them)

[Shine]

12. What does being a witch have to do with "having a lot of money?"

I realize it was just a kid who was asking, but still, it's a bizarre connection to make, don't you think?

Historically, witches were the original Healers of their communities. They were the Keepers of Plant Wisdom, the Midwives, the ones that were connected with Mother Earth.

It's sad to me that the term "Witch" still has a negative connotation.

Me? I would be flattered is someone called me a "Witch"...and, btw, I AM one....but I don't have a lot of money! :hi:

~Shine

[bleedingheart]

14. as I posted above...I bet money his father is calling me another name

that rhymes with witch and the poor kid doesn't hear right.

[Shine]

18. Oh, I hadn't read your recent post about the rhyming thing...

I get it now and you're probably right.

How sad that his parents are so close-minded. Sounds like this little kid needs some help.

~Shine

[wildhorses]

15. such a SAD story

but I would not feed into it even though it would be funny... but, he is too young to understand

[bleedingheart]

16. oh I know...

although it is the hat I plan on wearing while distributing Halloween candy...

[wildhorses]

17. please be extra kind to him

I feel that in some way he is reaching out to you and, he has an obvious interest in plants...to equate plants with wealth...I don't know why but this little story has touched my heart. I know you are a kind person but I just want to give you extra incentive where this paticular child is concerned...

[philosophie_en_rose]

24. It seems that he needs some kindness in his life.

If bleedingheart has some small things she can let him help with - putting seeds in holes, picking up leaves, etc. I bet it would help him feel good about himself.

It only takes one person to help someone not feel alone and to broaden their perspective of the world. I can't imagine what his vision of the world must be to think of plants as signs of wealth.

[bleedingheart]

26. I do have him help me and I try and engage him in conversation

it is completely and totally apparent that absolutely no one in his home is engaging him in conversation. He has multiple times told me the following:

"no one plays with me"
"your house has fun things for kids"
"you seem to like kids"

Sadly due to parental indifference he literally has no manners or sense of right or wrong.

It is really heartbreaking.

He started kindergarten too young and then when he literally failed (the only child to fail) his parents didn't care and they pushed him into first grade. My youngest is in the first grade with him and he has been sent to the office 3 times this year for different problems.

[philosophie_en_rose]

32. you're a sweetheart...

Giving him someone to remember fondly is a true gift.

[caty]

20. Did he say witch or

bitch. Not that I think you are either. Not that there is anything wrong with being either. Just sayin'......:rofl:

[bleedingheart]

21. it was witch...but I had to ask twice to make sure...

but I am sure it is his dad's "code word" for me...hahahaa

[caty]

22. Well, I'm

sure you're not a bitch. But, if you are a witch---put a spell on him.

[4_Legs_Good]

25. Next time say "Why don't you come take a sip from my cauldron and find out

and then cackle.

Heh heh heh

david

[youthere]

27. Poor kid.

Dang.

[Kenneth ken]

28. opportunity knocking

if he has even a slight interest in plants, you could cultivate that.

Take some time to teach him about plants, caring for them, watering, etc. In a year or so, he might have a decent sense of how to care for plants, and you could give him some cuttings to take home and care for on his own.

I don't know, since all I've read are your posts on this thread, but it seems you might have an excellent opportunity to teach someone kindness and caring and compassion and respect for the planet in terms of the plants it nurtures.

:hi:

[bleedingheart]

29. Dozens of times I have sent him home with seeds.

One day I gave him a sea shell that I had brought back from the beach..he took it home and his older brother took it from him.

I try and try...but unfortunately he needs more attention from his parents...I only see him a few hours a week. My one retired neighbor spends time with him but she has also noted that he needs a lot more help (she used to work in child care so I suspect she is more of an expert..)

[Kenneth ken]

30. then you're already trying

and that's all one can do.

:applause: to you.

[intrepid_wanderer]

31. sad indeed BH

... as others have said, it warms my heart to see/hear/read about others making efforts where the family units seem to be coming up a little short! ThankYou forbeing a blessed soul!

[Floogeldy]

33. Well, are you going to tell us whether or not you're a witch?

:rofl:

[bleedingheart]

35. well my pretty...I am not quite sure I will let that secret out of the bag

;-)

[La Lioness Priyanka]

unless he read about a witch who had a lot of plants

[bleedingheart]

36. well I do have a lot of herbs

and I have taught him about the stuff you can eat in the yard and in my garden...I guess it may seem mystical to him....although I still tend to think he is hearing about me at home.....

[La Lioness Priyanka]

37. probably...who knows...kids are odd though

[La Lioness Priyanka]

34. unless he read about a witch who had a lot of plants