Care Package Ideas needed ASAP!
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| Fri, 10-01-2004 - 4:13pm |
He was taken away from his mother about 4 months ago (My SIL) due to physical, emotion, and sexual abuse. His mother hit him often and called him names. His step father (her husband of 6 months, his biological father is in jail) masturbated over his bed while he thought the boy was asleep and Dillion told his teacher the next day (good boy!).
This poor little boy is my Dh's nephew and godson. Since this little kids hasn't had a SINGLE POSITIVE MALE ROLE MODEL IN HIS LIFE (his mother picked other men who sexually abused him as well) my DH wants to take a more active role in his life - to be that positive role model. Trouble is, we're all the way across the country! We're in Southern California and he's in Boston, Massechusets!
We're going to Disneyland this weekend and I thought about putting together a "care package" to give Dillion when we go visit him in 2 weeks. Since I'm a HUGE Disney fan, and it's rare that he gets anything uplifting like that, I was thinking about maybe putting together a Peter Pan package, with a hat with his name on it, a movie, maybe a fake sword. I have also thought about baking some cookies for him.
Can you all think of anything else please? Suggestions on what to get him and what NOT to get him?
Many thanks!
~Jay

Hey Teyar, you're in my area!
I'd say add a Beanie or two from one of the stores on Main Street, and maybe a book or two (try the Emporium, they have everything...sorry, I worked there for seven years, I know
CL-Blueliner4
I've heard that I can let city hall know ahead of time and maybe they can get me some autographed pictures for me to pick up. What do you think?
I really feel for this kid. He's from innercity Boston. He's had a terrible mother. I don't like to judge people, but she hits him often and cuses him out. I mean - he's FIVE YEARS OLD and he already understands how to use CURSE WORDS!!!
The last time my DH got to see him, Dillion was only 2 (and at that time, wasn't that bad off - his mother was trying to clean her act up), but they really bonded and DH LOVES little kids. (We may work on some of our own in a couple years. We've talked a lot about adoption due to fertility issues we both have. He had a lousy father too - fed him marijuana seeds which cause male infertility when he was Dillion's age - but Kudos to him as he's COMPLETELY gone the other way and broken the cycle. :) Unforunately, his siblings (he as 3 of them) never did. ).
I'm here for moral support. :) So whatever I can do! :)
~Jay
- J. Darling
Singehttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/JDarling/Headshots/Picture001.jpgr, Songwriter, Author for Celebr
Ilka.....Mom to 3 girls.
Thanks for the idea! I think I'll pick up some Easy Reading books when I head to Disneyland. :) Maybe I can theme the whole thing after some Disney male hero's (Peter Pan, Tarzan, Hercules). :) Learning is especially hard from him. Since he's been abused, his stress level was so high, he wasn't learning anything.
I've heard that he was working on reading (from his foster mother) and he couldn't get a word right. She nicely sounded the word out for him to help him out in that wonderfully warm way mother's do and he understood, but immediately said, "Why am I so stupid?" and really ment it. His mother has done a real number on his self esteem (everytime someone ahs done anything wrong my SIL has called them "stupid" or "stupid idiots", so we know EXACTLY where that came from).
My DH has talked about writing some cards to him and sending him letters and things. It's hard because we're all across the country, but anything we can do! When he's old enough, we've talked about having him come out here for a month in the summer or something and giving him a break from the city life (we're in a suburb - Escondido) taking him to the World Famous San Deigo Zoo and things to try and stir up his interest in things and show him that not everything in the world is dark, evil, or out to get him.
What do you think about those "read-along" tape and book sets?
~Jay
- J. Darling
Singehttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/JDarling/Headshots/Picture001.jpgr, Songwriter, Author for Celebr
That is so sweet of you to be putting this care package together though. For my two cents: When my son was five, only a couple of years ago, it was all about Power Rangers, Spider-Man, and Shrek. Seeing as spider-man 2 just recently came out as well as Shrek, I am sure those are still popular. Although, since he has had a rough time I am not sure how much exposure he has had to the new and latest things in the "kid world" Dang it!!!!!
Coloring books! Every kid loves coloring books, with some markers and crayons.
hugs to him, and to you!
jen
Absolutely call City Hall (you can use the main switchboard number and ask to be transferred) and explain the situation, they hopefully will be able to help.
CL-Blueliner4
Thanks for the tips! :)
~Jay
- J. Darling
Singehttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/JDarling/Headshots/Picture001.jpgr, Songwriter, Author for Celebr
It's actually a 2 fold care package. While I'm there, I'm getting things for Dillion - but also for my biological father. To make a VERY long story VERY short - I was adopted from birth into a great family. When I was 19, I found my biological parents for the first time. Since then, my father and I have become very close. He's 44 this year, and the father of me, and another baby girl (who'll be 1 year old next month). The tragedy is that he's dying of liver failure. He's on the donor list in New England, so the other reason we are going to Boston is to visit him. (Yes, we tried to get him to let me be a live donor, but he won't take the risk - so if he doesn't get a donor liver soon - well - we'll be surprised if he makes it to my little sister's 2nd birthday in 2005). One thing he always wanted to do was take my little sister and I to Disneyland and get us mouse ears. But, he can't be moved right now, so I decided to get the mouse ears and bring them to him! At least he won't miss out on that much. :)
I was thinking of getting a picture taken with Mickey and having a sign we're holding up saying "Insert you here" or "All my love, Jay" on it or something... Any suggestions for that sign would be great too! :) Thanks!
~Jay
~Jay
- J. Darling
Singehttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/JDarling/Headshots/Picture001.jpgr, Songwriter, Author for Celebr
I didn't see the sign thing all that often, but I have seen it before (my favorite was a couple who held the sign up for pictures they were giving the family that said they were having a baby).
CL-Blueliner4
Ilka