We arrived at 8:00 AM Sunday morning and met with the staff to go over the days events. We found our daughter and went to our first team building exercise. This exercise was a lot of fun. One family member was blindfolded and the rest of the family had to guide that person through an obstacle course. The only thing they could do was talk you through it. We all tried it and had a lot of laughs. We then walked around campus and just spent some quality time as a family. Counseling was next and this time we had separate sessions with our daughter. Today's session went much better. We actually talked about her making progress and getting herself to the third level. It was wonderful. We had lunch and then onto an Art class. We were to pick out a log or a piece of drift wood that reminded us of a particular animal. We then painted it to look like that animal. Ours was a bird and I think we did a great job on it.
It was now nearing the end of the day and all of the families met to discuss the weekend and what was coming next for our children. It was a really good discussion. The staff asked what our plans were when our children came home. How were we going to give them a new start in life. This program is only six to nine months, so it doesn't even fill a full school year. The staff told us how important it was to help our children make a new start. They told us how changing their surroundings and people they associated with could help tremendously. A few of the parents were confused as I believe they felt maybe their child was going to be "fixed" in this program. A couple of the parents asked what was meant by the questions. Why would they need to change the surroundings.
(I think when my daughter first went to Elan, I probably felt that way as well. What you have to understand is there isn't any fixing. There is learning new habits. You as a parent have as much work as your child has. They may make the right changes while in a program, but if you put them right back into the same situation, you are going to get the same results.)
My daughter looked at me and asked if she should talk. I nodded and said "Yes, please do". She spoke of how she went to another program before this one. She talked about how it was closing and instead of going into another program she came home. She told them how hard she tried to stay clean, but going back to the same school and seeing the same kids just brought everything back. Within a month she had started right back into ditching school to get high. She said how hard it was to stay away from the people she once partied with. Some of the parents asked her more questions and she spoke openly and honestly. When they were done asking questions, everyone clapped. I was so proud of her. She wanted to help another family understand what it was like. She has such a good heart. I hugged her and told her how much I loved her. I told her how wonderful it was she could talk and explain herself so well.
It was time again to say good-bye. This time I cried and just hugged her tight. We talked about her getting to level three by the end of the month. She was excited and so was I. I felt she was finally growing up and was on a path to making better decisions for her future.
