Reply To: Going off the Derech

daniela-the RY and the community have not made any suggestions to us, and I would welcome some support on their part since they know us, and my son.

I attribute most of his ‘insensitive’ behavior to a lack of maturity, although there is a bit of chutzpah, as with most teens these days. However, I agree with you that good middos and derech eretz are most important. We are working on that.

As far as school goes, he was the victim of emotional and verbal abuse, which can leave a scar just like physical abuse. And yes, he was an excellent kid, as all the Rebbes always told us. It’s just that there was a terrible oversight on their part. And my son did tell us, and we went to the school to address it.

When I said I wouldn’t complain if he threw out a jacket I bought him, I meant that I’d prefer he’d throw out clothes than yiddishkeit.

Good Shabbos and Chag Sameach…