Life Goes on

Early this year I remember thinking..."I cant wait until the kids are out for the summer!" I wanted to give them the experiences I had as a child with a mom that didnt work outside of the home. I think all children deserve to experience a summer of freedom, late nights and sleeping in. I still believe this, but boy am I ready for school to start again! My house seems to be contstantly full of kids and dogs (my record is 5 dogs and 10 kids inside at once!) It's a good feeling when the neighborhood kids come here to escape their own parents for a few hours and even confide in us. I treat them as my own and their parents know this. I will reprimand as necessary and commend the same. How cool is it that a 14 year old boy comes over just to say "HI", insists on a hug when he's leaving and shouts, "Love ya, Ms Kim!" on the way out the door? We all have a mutual respect for each other and the boys around here tend to view Tony as a surrogate "dad". Tony seems to take the role in stride and happily drones on about fishing, cars, motorcycles, tattoos and music. He also has no problem putting them in their place when it comes to "his" girls. Tony takes his role in the neighborhood as seriously as I do mine. Several kids either have worthless or absent fathers and Tony fills that role to some extent...willingly offering advice and guidance in the behaviors of adolescent or pre-adolescent gentlemanly behavior....something I cant do. While neither of us are perfect, we like to think, or at least hope, that we have and can make even a small difference with some of these kids. Tony and I look at it this way...as long as they live in our neighborhood and associate with our children, they need guidance if it isnt received at home. If nothing else, an understanding of respect for our home and kids.