Leo’s story"My mother really has a go at him.“
I don’t like going home and stay out as long as possible. At home there’s always stress.
After school I almost always hang out with friends. I don’t like going home and stay out as long as possible.
At home there’s always stress. Since my father lost his job it’s been particularly bad. We used to have at least a couple of hours of peace and quiet after school. But now he sits all day on the sofa watching TV. He barely looks up when someone comes into the room. He doesn’t do anything anymore.
My mother still works. When she comes home it starts up in earnest. She complains because he didn’t go shopping and hasn’t washed the dishes. Even if he does everything, she finds reasons to nag.
My mother really has a go at him. She calls him a good-for-nothing. ‘You’re useless,’ she says. ‘I’ve always known you’re a loser and will always be one.’ Nag, nag, nag. I can’t stand it anymore. Sometimes it’s so loud that the neighbours can hear everything. It’s so embarrassing.
My mother used to complain only at my father, but now she has started on me when I’m home.
She nags him when we’re out as well. She doesn’t care that others can see the way she treats my father. I can only look on and fight down my tears of rage. My father doesn’t defend himself. I don’t know why he puts up with it.
My mother used to complain only at my father, but now she has started on me when I’m home. You’re a loser like him, a nobody, a joke.
Once it was so bad that I ran off. I slammed the door and went away. Outside I thought about where I could go. I went to my friend Felix. His mother is really nice. She said she would help me if I agreed. I said OK. I want my mother to stop nagging and my father to find a job again.
Felix’s mother went to the Youth Welfare Service for me and told them what was happening and that I needed help.
A couple of days later a woman from the Youth Welfare Service phoned and asked if I would like to see her and talk about my problems. The woman said that she will help fix us all, including my mum. I agreed, and we made an appointment. It would be great if someone could help us.
