What Would You Do? Be Hard or Be Kind?

tesuhoha

We as a family do not have a lot of money for clothes as my son is at college and we are repaying debt. He is still trying to get his A Levels. I dont want to go into why he cant get a job, tis hopefully sufficient to say that he cant at the moment.

Anyway, my son has a friend who is about 18 and he lives on his own. He was in care and at 16 they turfed him out to live in a bedsit type flat. He is at college, the same one as my son. A few weeks ago on a very cold night he asked my son if he could lend him a top as he was cold. My son lent him his warmest sweatshirt although he doesnt have many warm clothes himself. Since then I have asked him repeatedly to get it back from his friend but he hasnt. This boy hardly seems to have anything to wear and doesnt seem to have much money. This evening as the washing machine is not operational at present, my son was wearing a sweatshirt too small for him and this boy was wearing his warm sweatshirt. He was also wearing a pair of trainers that look suspiciously like my son's old ones that he wont wear anymore.

However, I feel very sorry for this boy due to his circumstances. I dont know if my son has told him he can keep it or not but I feel inclined to let him keep it as I can take my son to the shops and replace it whereas I dont think he can afford to buy clothes. What would you do?

tesuhoha

He doesnt have any family to support him at all but I dont know why.

Snaggles

Tes, I think your attitude to this is lovely. You don't have much money for clothes yourselves, and yet you are willing to let your sons friend keep something that probably cost a fair amount, because you know his circumstances are probably worse than yours. I would be a bit niggled too, but hope that I would also see it that way.

I hope that karma is on its way to your house with a big fat lottery win right this moment!

Broken_hearted

I'd let him keep.

tesuhoha

Snaggles wrote: »

Tes, I think your attitude to this is lovely. You don't have much money for clothes yourselves, and yet you are willing to let your sons friend keep something that probably cost a fair amount, because you know his circumstances are probably worse than yours. I would be a bit niggled too, but hope that I would also see it that way.

I hope that karma is on its way to your house with a big fat lottery win right this moment!

Oh youre very kind, thank you. The sweatshirt was expensive but I cant bear the thought of this poor boy being cold without adequate clothes.

emmaroids

give him a cardboard box, a bottle of white cider and point him to the nearest doorway.



edit :: for those who don't know a joke if it bit em on the back side. =P

it was a joke and your son seems a kind guy, just a pity there ain't more like him.

tesuhoha

Youre all very caring on this forum.

tesuhoha

emmaroids wrote: »

give him a cardboard box, a bottle of white cider and point him to the nearest doorway.

Well almost

Toto

I'd let him keep it, but then me being the soft sod I am I'd be moving him in no doubt this house is a bit of a halfway house for spotty teens who's parents don't understand them.

I would say, if your son is happy to wear the clothes he has and give this one sweatshirt to his friend then you've raised a lovely caring boy and you should be very proud.

Snaggles

That probably rates as one of the funniest cross posts I have ever seen...

In_Search_Of_Me

emmaroids wrote: »

give him a cardboard box, a bottle of white cider and point him to the nearest doorway.

:mad: :mad: :mad: Do you have any idea whats its like for children leaving the care system, or even being in it? I cannot believe that someone posts such an insensitive and trivial post on such a difficult issue. Shame on you.
T I would just let the sweatshirt go...