Starting Over Talk - Peer Coaching Support Site

I felt so bad for Josie today. You could tell when Dr Stan was talking to her about having time to herself and not being balanced in her life she was so confused. When he said not enough play and she immediately thought he was referring to Chloe. I do believe she was trying so hard not to be like her mom and I think in her mind she thinks working all those hours and giving all her free time to Chloe is making her a good mother. I think she will feel very guilty if she tries to have a good time without Chloe...hopefully she will understand that it does not make you a bad mother to have some life of your own. Hopefully she won't go to the other extreme.

Josie just needs time to herself, chloe is so cute.

I have no doubt that Josie wants to be a good mother, but Josie needs Skills. Josie was given a very poor example of motherhood from her own mother, no example. I hope that Josie is able to get good counseling and that she will get some sort of career training.

I am so disappointed in the way that Rhonda handled Josie. His was horrific! Career training equaled 2 weeks of "Wild Animal Training". Motherhood training equaled a few meetings?????

I truly feel for Josie and Chloe.

If I recall right, Josie was given some apptitude like tests by an employment counselor to see where her strengths were. She even was able to spend a day doing what it was she thought she liked... working with animals.. (I didn't particularly think it went that well as she seemed to be afraid of them..)... So I think it was a whim that she chose something she thought might be fun.

Rumors earlier in the year or last year was that she had been working at a bar (bar tendering..) and then I thought I heard something about her being a caretaker or assisting with the care of an elderly person or 2... (Don't remember exact details..) But it seemed like she was trying to hold down 2 jobs...AND raise Chloe... that definitely could stress anyone out!

Haven't heard anything in a long time... (Deborah fan's post is most likely bogus so don't believe it..based on other Deborah fan's past posts..) as to what she was currently doing.

Did she mention while she was visiting in the SO3 house? I missed the shows this week thus far... due to the holiday and Wimbledon coverage on my local affiliate.

She didn't seem interested at the time in going back to school... But maybe after a year and a half... she'd now consider more formal schooling. Even a trade school would be a great idea for her..

The only reason I remember Josie going to the counselor and going to work at the zoo or farm, because it was such a strange twist... But she chose it... and then seemed afraid of the animals (or the hard work required!).... (I only remember her hesitancy doing a couple things...)

I think maybe working with animals just wasn't available in her home town. I think she came back to the house because she did not think she was doing as well as she thought she should be. I felt quite worried about her, she seemed to have "aged" if that isn't too strange a thing to say about a young woman! She looked very tired and strained to me. I think she probably does not want to do ...anything...the way her mother did, and is wearing herself out in the process.
I hope she can learn to trust others to care for Chloe once in a while, but joining a young mother's group might enable her to have some adult conversation while the children play nearby. It doesn't always have to be a "night out on the town!"

ceilidh wrote:

QUOTE:
I think maybe working with animals just wasn't available in her home town. I think she came back to the house because she did not think she was doing as well as she thought she should be. I felt quite worried about her, she seemed to have "aged" if that isn't too strange a thing to say about a young woman! She looked very tired and strained to me. I think she probably does not want to do ...anything...the way her mother did, and is wearing herself out in the process.
I hope she can learn to trust others to care for Chloe once in a while, but joining a young mother's group might enable her to have some adult conversation while the children play nearby. It doesn't always have to be a "night out on the town!"

I agree with you about Josie. I too thought she looked unwell. She appeared tired, frustrated and very stressed out. What was so disappointing is that she didn't seem to be open to the advice she was given. I think she still believes she the only person who can truly take care of Chloe's needs. Some mothers seem to believe playing the martyr for the sake of their children is somehow a positve thing. They miss all the reasons that it is not a good idea. They don't understand that much of that is about the parent and what they want, not about the real needs
of the child.

I can't remember, but, who cares for Chloe when Josie is at work?