Reply To: Going off the Derech

aries2756-we would consider a secular school, college,a trade school, anything where he would learn something, including responsibility. But he considers the school he goes to now as being enough. Between all the days he missed by taking ‘vacation’ with his friends, and now with the school being closed bc of the war, it feels like he’s been out of school more than in school. I tried again to talk to him about a dormitory-like school where it would seem to satisfy his need for more independence, but he’s non commital. When you said “real life is not about hanging out and being a nobody’, you are so right. But my son can’t accept that right now. He would answer you, that that is exactly what he wants to be. Perhaps when his anger subsides and he’s less defensive, he can think things through more clearly and he’ll realize that it’s true.