John's Story
Help for a Grandpa who rescued his two grandsons ... MORE
|
|
 |
 |
Grandpa Makes a Great Dad
The Reverend John Wallace is a soft-spoken man with a youthful look and modest nature. As the minister of Golden Gate Missionary Baptist Church on Cleveland's east side, he leads a small congregation and works hard to keep his struggling church open and welcome to all.
John, as he prefers to be called, also has two energetic grandsons to care for, six-year-old Jeremy, and five-year-old Jaylen, and they're a handful. Over a year ago, the boys were living in Alabama with their mother, but she lost custody of the children, and the boys were placed in foster care.
The boys had behavioral problems because of the instability of their family life, and unfortunately, were placed with individuals ill-equipped to handle those problems. The situation went from bad to worse, so John and his wife traveled to Alabama to petition the court for custody of the boys, a process that took half a year.
Rescue
When the Wallaces finally gained custody and brought the boys to Cleveland, Jeremy could barely talk and had attention deficit disorder. Jaylen could speak, but had been burned severely and had to wear a protective garment for six months. He also had temper tantrums and resisted toilet training. They placed the boys in preschool, but it took another six months before they could get them into counseling because the court and child welfare department in Alabama had to authorize all treatments.
"It's been challenging," says John. "My wife helped out a lot, but she got worn out. She couldn't go on with caring for the kids after awhile -- it's been physically
and emotionally draining. So we separated. I don't know if we'll get back together again. My grandkids really need me -- they don't have anybody else but me. Sometimes, you have to deny yourself for others."
Child Whisperer
"John wanted the boys to be stabilized," Tanya Morrow recalls. Tanya is a licensed social worker at Beech Brook who's been counseling Jeremy and Jaylen in the agency's Early Childhood Department over the past year, and has come to know them very well. United Way helps fund family and child counseling programs at Beech Brook. "The boys were very unsettled and their behavior was out of control. Their moods fluctuated --
one minute, they'd be nice and loving; the next, they were fighting. I focused on teaching them to express themselves in a socially acceptable manner."
"Jeremy and Jaylen were like wild horses in the beginning," Tanya says with a laugh. "But by being gentle and patient, we've been able to gain their trust and help them move past the unhappiness and uncertainty they've suffered in the past."
Progress
"I've seen Jeremy and Jaylen change dramatically from when they first came to us over a year ago, when they would try to hurt each other physically, to progressing now to a point where they can play together peacefully," says Tanya. "They are much better. In fact, their counseling sessions will be completed very soon."
Both boys are currently in preschool and go to their grandpa's church on a regular basis. John says that they love gospel music. He's signed the boys up for T-ball and they're looking forward to playing a team sport for the first time.
To Reverend Wallace, we wish you, Jeremy and Jaylen a very happy and blessed Father's Day.
Beech Brook has been committed to helping children and families for more than 150 years. Today, that work continues through a full range of mental health programs, including intensive, residential and day treatment for elementary through middle school-aged children, foster care, adoption placement and support, family preservation, outpatient mental health services, parent support and education and other services. To learn more about Beech Brook, call 216-831-2255 or toll-free 877-546-1225 or visit www.beechbrook.org.
United Way of Greater Cleveland helps fund the Family Support Centers and Early Intervention for Mental Illness programs at Beech Brook -- just two of more than 175 health and human service programs that help over 400,000 people in our community each year have a brighter future.
|
|
|
