March 2010

Dad was invited in to a counseling session with the children and he agreed to do so. The counselor prepared the both kids the best that she could and decided to follow-through despite the children's extreme fear and negative response to having to see him again.

The counselor told the children that we would arrive early, sit in the waiting room and then their dad would be invited in. They would be able to see him walk in and go to the counselors office. He would then stay in there and the counselor would come out and ask the kids if they wanted to see him. They were OK with this plan.

The day finally comes....we arrive early like we were asked to do. To no prevail, the counselor had him arrive even earlier, better yet - with a bag of presents!

We sat in the waiting room and the counselor came out to see if the kids wanted to go have a visit with their father. What was said to the kids "Your daddy is hear and he has some presents for you, do you want to go have a visit with him?" EXCUSE ME? That's what went through my mind at the time. It was completely unprofessional and what 4 and 6 year old would turn down presents? My children were completely manipulated.

At the end of their visit - They FLIPPED out right in the counselors office. I felt so helpless and they lost all trust in me and the counselor. The fear was right there at the for front.

I called the GAL and told him what happened - later the counselor was fired from our case.