I don't know what else to do to help my sister's kids
@artistmel2000 (438)
United States
February 26, 2007 3:33pm CST
I have a step-sister who is in her early 30s. She has two children, one daughter who is 14-years-old and a son who is 5-years-old. She and her son moved from Florida to Kentucky with my parents last November. Prior to the move, she had been having trouble getting her daughter to attend school. This had been an on-going problem that ended with my step-sister entering a no-contest plea and doing community service. I felt bad about the situation, but she felt this was the easiest thing to do. I advised her that if it continued, she should call the sheriff's office and have them assist her. Shortly after that, my niece's father returned to her life after an 8 year absence. Because my step-sister had not demonized her father, my niece had ended up demonizing her mother in my niece's young mind. Before anyone knew what was happening, my niece was living with her father on a full-time basis. When my sister moved to Kentucky, she allowed her daughter to stay with her father.
I just recently found out that my niece has not been attending school and she and her father (along with her uncle and grandmother) were evicted from their apartment and they were living in a motel.
I think my sister should find a way to travel to Florida to get her daughter and take her back to Kentucky. It will be a struggle and a fight, but obviously, her father is not much better as a parent. What would you do in this situation?
2 people like this
3 responses
@jeneias (608)
• United States
16 Jan 09
Look I never meant to seem like I was judging you. I wasn't trying to, at all, and I apologize if I did. In a way, I was trying to put the judgment on my mom. Like I said, I'd love for you to let her read what I wrote, because what I wrote is how I've been feeling for so long, and I don't know if she gets it. Again I don't want to judge you at all, but in a way it's hard for me to see you any differently than how you were before. There's no doubt I love you, but I was told that a lot of the drama with the school and case workers happened because of you...My mom said that was what Pappy told her one day. Please, do correct me if I'm wrong. I know my mom can lie, or twist stories, and forgive me for not asking YOU about before.
So why did I chose to ignore you? Because of how I was raised, and how I always viewed you as pretty much the bad guy :(
As for why my dad chose to ignore you, I'm sorry, I can't give you a satisfactory answer because I can't speak on his behalf.
To be honest, as I sit here writing this, it's starting to become clearer that my feelings towards you have always been influenced by my mother. Again I'm sorry for that. But what you said really got to me, "use the head that God gave you." I love how many miles away? Yet I'm still being influenced by her, and not God. I'm actually not going to try to argue with you at all, because you are right. I was and am wrong.
One thing though. You said, "There have been a lot of things that have happened over the last few years that you may or may not know or have versions of the truth about, at the very least." I pretty much get all the news about you all from my mom. So yeah, there are things that I don't know, and there are things that I know which are most likely lies. I guess I've never been confident enough to come straight out and ask you or talk to you personally, because I was afraid of my moms reaction.
And if you want the facts, tell me what you've heard, and we'll see what's true and not true.
1 person likes this
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
26 Feb 07
It must be very difficult being in your situation. I think you should support your sister in what she decides to do, but you can't really interfere in her life. One thing you could suggest is that her daughter is home schooled. This way the truancy wouldn't be a problem any more and that would be one problem solved.
1 person likes this
