Homeless Teens

Even when I was growing up our house was the one everybody wanted to hang out at.  I had parties almost every weekend and hosted pretty much the entire high school.    Ahhhhhhhh good times.

Now my kids are coming of age.  When my oldest got to high school I was shocked at how many teens really had no place to go, so they just hung out at our house.  It was as if they were abandoned.  A 'baby sitter' was no longer required so the parents let the kids fend for themselves.  I heard stories about how mom/dad got a divorce, and now mom/dad has a new boy/girl friend and spends all their time with their new love.  I also heard about parents who could not find their way home from the bar or casino.  Some parents were so completely wrapped up in their work the kids felt guilty for even being born.

At first I thought perhaps it was just a fluke with the oldest's friends being alone so much.  That's not the case.  My younger kid also has a gaggle of abandoned friends who pretty much live here.   It's more prevalent than we imagine. 

There is nothing special about my house.  It's a basic house.  However, this is where all the kids tend to congregate.   I get wide-eyed, gracious thanks when I present the kids with food (I love to cook).  I have teens sleeping in every spare bed, on the couch, and some on the floor almost nightly.  They don't want to go home.  Many of them call me 'mom.' 

If I am saving one teen from being alone and feeling neglected I feel like I'm doing something positive for the world.  God only knows what is really happening at their house.  I could be saving a kid from some sort of abuse.  I'm here if the kids want to talk, but I don't ask questions.....