Does he wear cute shoes? I only want cute shoes. 

Wonderful gesture Cinds.  

All the very best to you and your new family!   

I probably shouldn't discuss his cross dressing habits in public, him being at such a vulnerable age. 

Thanks Scotty.  

He's a nice kid, and to be honest he's been staying here on & off for the last few weeks, so it's just been made more official and permanent.

 I'll send his X Box and then all he'll need is a box of cereal every few days.

Seems we have a similar style of 'parenting' 

I've just made him do two hours of maths, or the X Box gets it! 

Great stuff Cinds.                                                                                                                            

He`ll be feeling more secure now. I`m happy for him.  

Our is only allowed 2 hours of xbox or computer a day.  Plus it's what gets it (the fuses removed from the plugs) when he's on a punishment.

Breaks your heart, doesn't it?

Our daughter brings home all the waifs and strays and has done so since she was 15-16, so a bit older than Master C's friend.  What always baffled me was the apathy shown by the parents - they really couldn't give a stuff about who their kids were with as long as they weren't bothering them.

We've had 2 girls stay with us on and off (more on that's for sure as they both now have their own bedrooms) for the last 4 or so years.  They literally moved in from the moment they left school with not a word or care from any of their parents.  Both are great kids; work hard and show more respect and decency towards their errant parents than they receive.

And what's worse is that all these parents have divorced and are more concerned with their latest boyfriend/girlfriend and THEIR kids than they are their own.

Good luck, Cinds. 

My theory on this is it let's the latest squeeze how 'good and hard they care' 

We're just going to take one day at a time, it's all we can do.

Long Post

Cinds and Cosmo - I was gonna post similar last night but didn't want to sound do goody and (oh yeah I've done that) - my kids are now 32, 30 and 29 - we always had open house for their friends - some kids lived here four nights out of seven (even when they were at school) some weekends only and two long term because of family problems ..................TBH - I feel it just adds to the family. I love a busy house and miss it now the kids have left home. We still have a number of their friends drop in from time to time.

Yesterday was  my daughters birthday and we did a family tea for her .............one of her old friends dropped by - it was lovely to see her. My daughter showed me today her post on FB - she said 'Just been to see G - I'd forgotten how lovely and welcoming it is at Sue and Micks' - bless her, her mum died recently.

The thing is two friends who now live away both messaged ......ooooooh yeah we used to love it at the Woos house. It bought a little tear to my eye. It's good to be able to make a difference in kids lives.

I'm really not blowing my own trumpet here and Cinds ...............although that boy will benefit BIG TIME from what you're doing ..........you'll get far more out of it - honestly.

Nooooo Soozy you didn't come across as blowing your own trumpet at all, it#s lovely to hear about other people doing a similar thing.  I don't know about you and Cosmo, (but I would put money on that you both felt this way), I just feel that if something happened to me, and life wasn't being good to Master Cinds someone would do the same thing for him.

 The boy has lost his Mum and his Dad is letting him down, but remember (no matter how right your opinions of his Dad are, and I do not doubt for a minute they are not) he is his Dad. xxxxxx

I know Syd and you would have been so proud of how diplomatic I was when I broached the subject of his Dad with him, I surprised myself.

*** takes note of two more houses for the kids *** 

That's exactly how it is, Cinds.  And you're right to take it at a day at a time.

Somewhere in amongst it all I always hoped that the girls would both be reunited with their parents - even though their mum's and dad's have divorced.  It hasn't worked out quite that way so far, but I always try and put a positive spin on some of the more trivia stuff that occasionally arises.  Then again, the girls have moved on emotionally a bit since the early days (and I guess they've had plenty of time to adjust to it all); I can't make their minds up for them.

Nice post, Soozy.

Good on you Cinds, a loving home is, imo, the biggest gift anyone can have in life.

My parents took in one of my friends when we were about the same age as Master Cinds is now. Things didn't work out long term re our friendship when we became adults, however she always remained v close to my parents and was very good to them.

Btw, not sure if you are aware, but you do need to inform your Local Authority of the arrangement :http://www.privatefostering.org.uk/pfcarer

It's surprising how many people actually do this.  I'm waiting for his Dad to ring me or come & see us (he's never met us), I thought it might have been on his list of priorities, because while we realise that the authorities will have to be involved I'm not sure whether he will realise this.

Does he even know/care where his son is Cinds?

I honestly don't think so, hence our decision. 

That's dreadful Cinds, poor little mite. Thank goodness for people like you

He who saves one life, saves the world entire

pure gold Binds, pure gold xx

 Moonbeams, I'm not pure gold, if I was a ring I'd be sure to turn your finger green.  I'm sure I've just done what anyone would have in the same situation.

Mr Cinds has took to calling them the 'twins' and wants to dress them in little matching outfits.  So I took it upon myself to rename our boys.  They are now known as Tweedledumb & Tweedledweeb.

Awwwwwwwwwwwwww - dead cute.

**pushes Blizzie out of the way* Do you take 17 yr old girls as well? she isn't housed trained she is great around the house 

Good on you for giving the lad a home 

Good on you all who've done this. (Looked after others who aren't your own)  I admire you all    Seems some/a lot of  peeps in society do have some morals after all  

Hope all this does have a happy ending Cinds, the boy sounds as if he certainly deserves it  

Nuts do you know what it is, I might have the mind of a guttural whore, but I really do have very high morals.  In RL I am a great believer in treat others as you want to be treated. (However, one can be pushed to the limit)

I hope so too Dame.  My Mother just called me all excited because she thought she was getting 2 boy lodgers to stay next weekend (as we had booked the boy in a few weeks ago, as we were hoping to be going away to New York for our real wedding anniversary on the 29th of this month). I had to let her down and tell her due to recent changes we'd changed our plans   I bet she was knitting him a bonnet and everything.

 In RL I am a great believer in treat others as you want to be treated.

  Me too 

aww bless her, shame plans had to change...bet she would have had a field day 

Good lass.  You are now officially invited in to my Moral 'Clique' 

Do you wanna be the number 1, or the number 2? 

Hahaha imagine her imaginings of being presented with her newest grandson.  He's in a moses basket, limbs dangling over the sides, but she still coos.

LOL! Number 1 of course! who wants to be a number two   

shaking his pool cue instead of a rattle 

Oh shit, I didn't think of that 

Pool Cue? He's 15 not 50.  It would have been an x-box controller or similar.