A sticking post: Carla's dilemma

A month ago, Carla didn’t get on the bus to go home from school, she marched resolutely into the principal’s office and told them they needed to call the police.

Carla told the principal’s secretary that she needed to talk to the principal; she wasn’t going to go home to her mother. She needed help, she was tired of being hit, yelled at and treated badly. Her blue eyes unwavering and with a determined glare, she demanded someone protect her from the hurt going on in her home.

She’d had enough, she’s eight years old and she’s had enough.

Stunned by Carla’s assertion, the secretary called the police and soon Carla, the police and the principal listened as she told her story. She’d been hit the night before for being naughty, something that had happened before. Pushed and shoved, she’d had her hair pulled, so hard sometimes that it came out in stinging clumps and she had her head banged against the floor. Her favorite toys had been held hostage or destroyed and she was afraid for her animals and her little sister. She told them to call her dad, call grandpa, call someone that would come and get her and keep her safe.

The people in uniforms or drab business suits had been to the house before and talked to Carla. Sometimes they would ask her questions in front of her mom and when they left, the only thing that happened was punishment as a reward for her honest answers. The people would never tell Carla it would be OK and she was getting tired of it. Family and friends would try to help but it always ended up the same – phones slammed down in anger and screaming … and the aching wait for the next outburst.

In Mrs. Olson’s class, Carla had learned about telling the truth. A lady had come in and talked to the class and brought coloring books and they rehearsed a little play. They learned how to stay quiet in the room when the important voice came over the intercom, and they learned how to say no to strangers. Something inside Carla clicked when the lady talked about saying no. Why couldn’t she say no to mom? Mom was a stranger now anyway, mom didn’t want to play, she didn’t laugh and she was always on the phone. She talked to the voices more than to Carla.

Carla decided it was time someone listened to her because in school, she learned she deserved to be heard.

Carla still lives in the limbo between happy and scared but people now look at her differently. Not with pity, but with the knowledge that something inside that little girl is to be reckoned with. She’s sleeping a little better, even though she waits for her mom to get angry again.

Standing up for herself has changed Carla’s life, although she’s still frustrated with most adults.

She’s been stretching her wings, trying new things and her teacher has had to give her more advanced assignments in school. This week, Carla, who’s been afraid of books with chapters wants to try and read a book she liked that name of - Julie of the Wolves.

This blog post was featured on the website for the week of November 10, 2010.