There was a time in my life when I had to make a tough decision. It took place in court with only a couple minutes to think about it. I had to decide to either go to a residential program for at-risk kids or to a juvenile center with probation when I was released. At the residential program I would have to go home every weekend and I hated going home. I was trying to avoid my parents because I hated that they were doing this to me. I would rather do juvenile again. But, then I wouldn’t be able to see my boyfriend or my friends on the weekends. But, my friend was in juvenile and she would write me saying how much she hated it. So, my decision was the residential because my mom wanted me close to home, and she made it perfectly clear when we went to court. She blamed everything on my stepdad. Perfect! That meant I had to do counseling.
That decision came with so many little caveats. The first few days I hated what my case manager said I had to do, in order to stay out of juvenile. I hated it, because I had to call my case manager lady every week, and back then I was so not responsible because I was so young, and didn’t have my cell phone, or any phone at all to call her.
Deciding between Juvenile and the residential program was the hardest decision because they both would have changed my life in different ways. But I’m glad I made that decision. I don’t know what would have happened to me if I chose to go to Juvenile Hall.
The residential program ended up changing a few bad things about me, and helped my communication with my mom. It taught me that not everything is going to make sense to me, and I’m not going to understand everything my parents are telling me. I’ve come along way since going to that program. I graduated on level 3 out of 4, and had great leadership in the dorm. I’m very happy. I feel like I made the right decision in the long run.
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