Dear Henry

Last night Mom and I went to Back-to-School Night at JPDS. I don't normally say anything at these things because I trust that the teachers know what they are doing.

Jack's journal and other writing assignments were on his desk. We were asked to read through them to see what he is writing and learning. He filled out something that looked like a MadLib that was a paragraph about his family. He completed the sentence that read, "I live at home with ________ and __________.", by saying "my parents and my brother."

Later, when Jack's Hebrew teacher explained that the first theme for the class was "family," I wasn't too concerned whether that would stir up emotions in Jack that might be hard or sad. Last year he drew pictures of his family with you in them. The person who was helping Jack with his feelings about you told us it would show progress for Jack when he didn't include you in pictures of his family. Good to know but hard to hear.

By writing "my parents and my brother," instead of "brothers" I know that Jack is in an okay place. He has figured out how things are, where you are (wherever that is) and doesn't appear to be too sad or confused.

But when the Hebrew teacher told us that the next theme was going to be hospitals and being sick, I wrote Mom a note that said I want to ask her to consider something different. I want to talk to Mom about it a little more, though. Maybe it won't matter to Jack at all, or maybe it will be a good thing for him to face head on. I don't know.