3 year old patient as I leave the room: I like her shoes, Mommy!
It's the little things that keep you going when you spent an hour of your morning with a 12 year old who has a history of crack cocaine use, suicide attempts, homicidal ideation, getting caught having sex in the school bathroom and who's mother died of a drug overdose, father is in jail, the great aunt who used to take care of him died recently, cousin's husband raped him when he moved in with them, and is now living in foster care. But don't worry, the state hasn't deemed it a priority to get him some psychiatric help.
Also, this conversation:
Me: How many girls have you had sex with?
Him: Just the one! It's true love!
[15 minutes later, at the end of the visit]
Him: So....am I allowed to have...you know....
Me: ......
Him: s......e......
Me: Sex?
Him: yeah.
Me: That's not for me to say. That's a personal decision. You need to understand the risks though. You could get an infection, like syphilis, chlamydia, or even an incurable infection like herpes or HIV. You absolutely have to use protection. You also have to be ready to become a father, because you could get a girl pregnant. You also can't have sex in school; I'm pretty sure that's a rule.
Him: So you're saying if I use protection and am ready to be a baby daddy, I can have sex?
Me: If that's the right decision for you and the person you're having sex with is okay with it, then yes. But you can't force anyone to have sex with you.
Him: I know. Can you tell my social worker to drive me to my girl's house then?
Me: ......no.
Me: What makes you think you're ready to be a father anyways?
Him: I am ready!
Me: you think you can take care of a baby? Another person? You just don't me you can't even take care of yourself.
Him: I can do it -- I've been waiting for a baby forever!
Me. How would you buy your child food and clothes?
Him: I'd get a job.
Me: You're 12.
Him: I'd lie about my age.
Me: Pretty sure they're going to require some documentation.
Him: I'd sweep up hair at a barber shop for like...$13 an hour
Me: Pretty sure it doesn't pay that much.
Him: Well, also. I get an allowance. Duh.
It's the little things that keep you going when you spent an hour of your morning with a 12 year old who has a history of crack cocaine use, suicide attempts, homicidal ideation, getting caught having sex in the school bathroom and who's mother died of a drug overdose, father is in jail, the great aunt who used to take care of him died recently, cousin's husband raped him when he moved in with them, and is now living in foster care. But don't worry, the state hasn't deemed it a priority to get him some psychiatric help.
Also, this conversation:
Me: How many girls have you had sex with?
Him: Just the one! It's true love!
[15 minutes later, at the end of the visit]
Him: So....am I allowed to have...you know....
Me: ......
Him: s......e......
Me: Sex?
Him: yeah.
Me: That's not for me to say. That's a personal decision. You need to understand the risks though. You could get an infection, like syphilis, chlamydia, or even an incurable infection like herpes or HIV. You absolutely have to use protection. You also have to be ready to become a father, because you could get a girl pregnant. You also can't have sex in school; I'm pretty sure that's a rule.
Him: So you're saying if I use protection and am ready to be a baby daddy, I can have sex?
Me: If that's the right decision for you and the person you're having sex with is okay with it, then yes. But you can't force anyone to have sex with you.
Him: I know. Can you tell my social worker to drive me to my girl's house then?
Me: ......no.
Me: What makes you think you're ready to be a father anyways?
Him: I am ready!
Me: you think you can take care of a baby? Another person? You just don't me you can't even take care of yourself.
Him: I can do it -- I've been waiting for a baby forever!
Me. How would you buy your child food and clothes?
Him: I'd get a job.
Me: You're 12.
Him: I'd lie about my age.
Me: Pretty sure they're going to require some documentation.
Him: I'd sweep up hair at a barber shop for like...$13 an hour
Me: Pretty sure it doesn't pay that much.
Him: Well, also. I get an allowance. Duh.
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