Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/julies-story/5021086/
Four-year-old Julie arrives at school at the same time every morning. The victim of a mother who abused drugs while in utero, Julie is a child forgotten. Her foster mother gives little regard to Julie’s personal hygiene, so Julie comes to school each day un-bathed and unkempt. Her clothes are worn and tattered. Her nose is runny. Her hair is always greasy. And her skin is dry and cracked, evidenced by her ashy arms and elbows.As one of 20 students in her Head Start class, Julie is provided with a free breakfast every morning. Most students get one muffin and one juice box. However, Julie’s teacher, Ms. Smith, makes an exception in Julie’s case. One would think Julie hasn’t eaten in days by the way she devours the three muffins that are given to her each morning. And, who knows? Maybe she hasn’t.
It’s no wonder the other children in Julie’s class are turned off by her. Julie can be very impulsive, and when she displays tantrum behaviors that are aggressive in nature, it’s best to stay out of her way. She hits, kicks, screams, and bites when she can’t have what she wants, and she can be very ...