Update: Family in Crisis

S everal months ago, I wrote about the family that I tutor. The mother of the family had left the home - she and her husband were apparently having some marital problems. The five daughters were obviously upset as their world was turned upside down and the tasks of running the household and managing the family's needs fell on the shoulders of the second oldest daughter M (the oldest daughter is deaf).


When summer came, I temporarily suspended my duties of tutoring while I traveled to the states. It had been four long months since I had seen them. Schools here in Saudi Arabia had an unusually long summer break due to Ramadan. Arrangements were made between my husband and the family's father for me to resume my tutoring duties shortly after school started back up after Ramadan was over.

I had worried about the girls and their parents all summer and wondered if the couple had been able to resolve their problems, if the mother had returned to the home. When I arrived at the house, the four oldesr girls ran to me, showering me with hugs and kisses and smiles. The youngest, Little J, who is four years old, was shy at first, but within ten minutes she was sitting on my lap kissing me.

When the excitement settled down and after I heard their stories about what they had been doing for the last four months, M and I moved into the study. The first question out of my mouth was, "Is your mother back?" "Yes!" M replied. "Things are good now, much better!" I didn't get to see the mother for a few days - she takes classes several times a week - and she too seemed very happy to see me and seemed happy in general.

I don't know what the problems were that the couple was having, but whatever they were, hopefully the worst is behind them and the family will now be happy and thrive in today's complicated world. I am thrilled that this family in crisis is now a family recovered.