All I write about now is C and her stupid antics.

Tonight we let Little J go out for a bike ride alone because she asked if she could. We have been struggling for the last year to help her develop some independence, to overcome the fear and paranoia her mother worked so hard to instill to ensure she'd never take more than two steps in any direction. Hell yes, we let her go. She's almost thirteen. She's old enough to go for a bike ride by herself. Not only did we let her go, we practically did a little dance to celebrate her asking. We are doing good work with this kid.

Right after she got back, her mother called and began to lecture her about the dangers of biking. Traffic, kidnappers, muggers, giant potholes... on and on and on. Working her ass off to try and refill the fear meter that was dropping.

When Little J told her mother to quit worrying so much, her mother said that she only worries because she loves her. Anyone who wouldn't worry about her obviously just doesn't love her as much as her mother does.

This is the same woman who regularly smoked crack with her kid in the same room with her.
Left her alone in the middle of the night, terrified and crying, to score from her dealer.
Kept her home from school, depriving her of two years of her education.
Smoked all their food money and dressed her kid in clothes that didn't fit so she could buy more crack.
Spent 15 hours a day passed out on OxyContin.

Tell me I'm not taking good care of your kid?
Tell me I don't love her as much as you did?

Love isn't just something you feel. It's something you DO.

Fuck you.