MikeIke
Footballguy
(warning: kinda long read)
((TLR - my kid's friend needs a home and I'm considering taking her in.))
My sons are 12 and 10 years old. There used to be a little girl down the street who is 11 now, so right in between their ages. While she lived on our street, they were all best friends. I'll call her Padme.
At the time, Padme lived with her grandma because her mother was a drug addict (heroin) and her father was in and out of jail. She lived with her grandmother for a few years but then got shuffled off to another grandmother. My boys were sad that she was gone. We've all kept in contact over the years, through Facebook and several personal visits. So it's not like we're strangers at this point.
Fast forward to today. None of Padme's grandparents are able to keep her at their house. The one by us is poor, and her house is infested with mold. The one she went to live with afterwards simply didn't want her. She only wanted her little sister (Padme is not blood-related to this grandma, sister is.) The grandparents she's currently living with are simply too old to keep up with an 11 year old girl.
Tonight the grandma by us told my wife that the folks she's living with don't want her anymore. It's come to the point of them wanting to give her into foster care. Grandma by us doesn't want her to go into foster care.
We are now presented with the opportunity to take Padme into our home. My boys love her, my wife loves her (and has always thought of her as a surrogate daughter.) The grandparents have offered to pay for a lawyer as well as ongoing child support. This would be a situation where we would become Padme's legal guardian.
I'm not opposed to the idea. I worry about raising a girl, but what father doesn't? I worry that there are underlying psychological issues with Padme that we aren't aware of. But honestly, I've spent a lot of time with her over the last 11 years and seen nothing more than typical childhood behavior. I think the grandparents just don't want to deal with a little girl and want someone else to take her.
So come on, FBG's: Gimme your thoughts. What could go right and what could go wrong if we take this girl in? What legal issues would we have to contend with? (paging @Henry Ford)
As I read through this prior to posting, I felt I should add that I don't necessarily think Padme is troubled, but she's led a very troubled life. Switching from house to house, no one wanting her to live with them, literally having to call 911 because her mom OD'ed and was dying. This kid has had a life that no 11 year old should have to deal with.
((TLR - my kid's friend needs a home and I'm considering taking her in.))
My sons are 12 and 10 years old. There used to be a little girl down the street who is 11 now, so right in between their ages. While she lived on our street, they were all best friends. I'll call her Padme.
At the time, Padme lived with her grandma because her mother was a drug addict (heroin) and her father was in and out of jail. She lived with her grandmother for a few years but then got shuffled off to another grandmother. My boys were sad that she was gone. We've all kept in contact over the years, through Facebook and several personal visits. So it's not like we're strangers at this point.
Fast forward to today. None of Padme's grandparents are able to keep her at their house. The one by us is poor, and her house is infested with mold. The one she went to live with afterwards simply didn't want her. She only wanted her little sister (Padme is not blood-related to this grandma, sister is.) The grandparents she's currently living with are simply too old to keep up with an 11 year old girl.
Tonight the grandma by us told my wife that the folks she's living with don't want her anymore. It's come to the point of them wanting to give her into foster care. Grandma by us doesn't want her to go into foster care.
We are now presented with the opportunity to take Padme into our home. My boys love her, my wife loves her (and has always thought of her as a surrogate daughter.) The grandparents have offered to pay for a lawyer as well as ongoing child support. This would be a situation where we would become Padme's legal guardian.
I'm not opposed to the idea. I worry about raising a girl, but what father doesn't? I worry that there are underlying psychological issues with Padme that we aren't aware of. But honestly, I've spent a lot of time with her over the last 11 years and seen nothing more than typical childhood behavior. I think the grandparents just don't want to deal with a little girl and want someone else to take her.
So come on, FBG's: Gimme your thoughts. What could go right and what could go wrong if we take this girl in? What legal issues would we have to contend with? (paging @Henry Ford)
As I read through this prior to posting, I felt I should add that I don't necessarily think Padme is troubled, but she's led a very troubled life. Switching from house to house, no one wanting her to live with them, literally having to call 911 because her mom OD'ed and was dying. This kid has had a life that no 11 year old should have to deal with.
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