Well not that it has been rainbows and kittens the last 4 years with SS15 but now we enter the world of preparation for adulthood, most behavior is to be EXPECTED...not completing assignments, not turning in homework, slacking on chores,nonchalant attitude, testing our patients...etc but I refuse to make it ACCEPTED. Like many his age he continues to fail to realize the outcome of his poor choices in high school and his lack of ownership in decisions he makes there and at home.

So I decided to down play some of my feelings for SS15...we had an altercation about 3 weeks ago with the usual petty white lies. We had a heart to heart and in the end we (myself, DH and SS15) decided to have a 30 day challenge...we each decided to do something that would qualify as positive time or positive reflection for SS.

SS15 has been stealing AND "borrowing" (I use this loosely b/c who knows what he tells us)money from friends for as long as I can remember...recently he "borrowed $15-20 from a classmate...DH and I got on him about it and ultimately left him to deal with the consequences. (being he has no job, no allowance, no steady income...how can you borrow?) He runs to the store with every cent he gets so of course that's how we discovered the money. Soooo I noticed he has been blowing the money he steals/borrows and the money I put on his lunch account at school (snacks, drinks..etc).

I am completely over SS15 living with us...doesn't want to be here, hasn't made much change to habits of lying and stealing and regardless of how useless/neglectful BM is SS wants to be with her. I think it's understandable that most children hold out hope for their parents regardless of their faults. However even though DH and I agree that it may be time for SS to return to her we can't help but feel like we are giving up on SS. Honestly his chances for success are nil with her and the fact that DH had a second chance with SS almost seems like a slap in the face to the opportunity.