Originally Posted by pineneedles4
When my boys were in school they had friends that came over to eat....every meal....all the time. At first I was upset because one boy ONLY came over to eat and then would leave...until I found out his mother had money for partying, drinking, cigs, etc, but never bought food. Another boy actually got whipped if he ate any food other than what was bought for him and stored in his cabinet (tons of Ramen noodles)...it sounded untrue until it came out of his mother's own mouth as she bragged that she allowed herself steaks but her kids were only allowed to eat what she bought and labeled for them! I never knew there were such skrewed up adults in this world! That same mother took a belt to her son (age 10 at the time) for taking some of "her" cheese and putting it on his Ramen noodles! I called DHS and asked them to investigate the situation and the horrible welts on the boy's back. I never turned a child away from my kitchen and they felt like it was paradise because I always baked cookies, cakes, pies, etc and kept them in the kitchen for "the boys". As adults, the first thing "the boys" ask is if I still bake. I think it's sad, but also, as a person in public education, I know that the small bit of heaven children receive during the day or from kind strangers are often the only kind acts and words in their lives. I think you are a wonderful person for allowing this child to share in your warm, safe, holiday home environment.
Our home was also a safe haven for one of my son's friends when they were in middle school and high school. He would stay for days and his mom never would even call unless she wanted him home to do some work,then she'd let him come back here. I did find out later (after they graduated) that the mom's boy friend abused the kids. We had an open door, and rules, and they always respected the rules. We treated all kids as if they were our own.