Childhood neglect: Susan Miller's story

Summary

The transcript depicts a child's affection for school, where they find solace and care from a kind teacher who defends them against bullying. Despite enjoying school meals, the child's home life is marked by irregular and unhealthy eating habits, including nights without food or indulging in sweets. The child also experiences disrupted sleep due to loud music and frequent visitors, and there's mention of a PlayStation for entertainment. The script hints at neglect, with the child's dental health suffering and a lack of medical attention, culminating in a visit from a concerned school official.

Takeaways

• 🏫 The child loves going to school and considers it their favorite place in the world.
• 👩‍🏫 The teacher is very kind and protective of the child, even providing food and standing up for them when others make fun.
• 🍪 The child received a biscuit and juice for breakfast from the teacher, indicating possible lack of proper nutrition at home.
• 🍽️ The child enjoys school dinners, which they describe as the best thing they've ever tasted, contrasting with their home meals.
• 🍟 At home, the family often has chips for dinner, and sometimes only sweets for a treat, suggesting an unhealthy diet.
• 🌙 The child sometimes goes to bed hungry, with a rumbling tummy, which is a sign of inadequate food provision at home.
• 🎵 There is a noisy environment at home with loud music and doors banging, affecting the child's sleep.
• 🎮 The child's brother, Troy, plays video games in their room, and they occasionally get to play together.
• 👶 Saturday nights are special with a babysitter who allows the child to do anything they want, including playing in the garden.
• 🦷 The child has dental problems, with painful teeth and bad breath, and has been advised to see a dentist but hasn't yet.
• 👨‍👧 The father threatens to pull out the child's teeth if they continue to complain about the pain.

Q & A

What is the narrator's favorite place in the world?

The narrator's favorite place in the world is school.

How does the narrator's teacher show kindness towards them?

The teacher is kind by looking after the narrator, giving them a biscuit and juice for breakfast, and defending them when other kids make fun of them.

What does the narrator enjoy about school dinners?

The narrator loves school dinners, describing them as the best thing they've ever tasted and wishing they could have similar food at home.

What is the typical meal the narrator has at home most nights?

Most nights, the narrator has a plate of chips for their meal.

What kind of treat does the narrator's dad sometimes allow?

The narrator's dad sometimes allows them to have sweets as a treat, with just loads of sweets being served.

Why does the narrator sometimes go to bed with a rumbling tummy?

Sometimes they don't have anything for dinner, which leads to the narrator going to bed with a rumbling tummy.

What disturbances does the narrator experience at night?

The narrator is disturbed by loud music, doors banging, and hearing their dad's friends laughing and shouting.

How does the narrator's brother, Troy, interact with them?

Troy plays on his PlayStation in the narrator's room and sometimes lets the narrator play as well.

What makes Saturday nights fun for the narrator?

Saturday nights are fun because they get a babysitter, sometimes Chloe or Jenny, who bring their boyfriends and let the narrator do anything they want.

Why do the other kids say the narrator has smelly breath?

The other kids say the narrator has smelly breath because their teeth hurt a lot, which is likely due to dental issues.

What did the lady who visited the school suggest regarding the narrator's dental health?

The lady suggested that the narrator's mum needs to take them to the dentist, but they haven't been yet.