One of my stops Saturday read, "measure broken casement window". When I got there I noticed an old farm house with lots of paper, old toys and junk sprewned about. The broken window was about to fall apart. The glass was completely missing with a single pc. of plastic covering part of the bottom half. There were no curtains, only blankets & sheets covering the windows.

Joy is a single parent with 4 young chrilden, one being an 8 year old "authistic" boy. She didn't invite me into the house, so I measured the glass from outside. I knew she didn't have the money to fix it because the window appeared to have been broken for at least a year.

I called her back to tell her I had a "spare" pc of plexi-glas hanging around and I'd donate my labor to put it in. I told her I'd need to have the kids out of the way. She told me she takes them to her mothers house on Sundays. I went there today to fix the window, but ended up also picking up all the papers and fixing the broken storm door in the front.

I have a problem here that bothers me. I "peeped" in, before I installed the glass, to see what the inside of the house looked like. It was a total mess, with trash and clothes laying about. There were two dirty mattress' on the floor, no bed frames. I wouldn't want to live in a filthy house like that, it isn't a fit place to raise children in either.

I probably should contact The CT. Dept. Chrildren and Families to check on the family.

See PM

As a professional I would say contact Child Protective Service immediately.

Yes, Big Government always knows what to do.

Tough call.

Social Services in most places will break-up the kids and send them to foster care if the Mom cannot provide for them. No matter how bad the house is...the kids are home with a parent and not going to be "warehoused" in foster care.

The Mom said "she was taking her kids to her Mom's. Can you speak with the Mom before you make a call and see what she has to say?

I am of the point that a family's buisness is their own. If someone came to my house such as children services or the police and tried to tell me they were taking my kids the bullets would be flying. Life aint promised to be easy. Nor is it the governments job to make it such.

CPS/Childrens Service can do more to help a family in this spot and is not an agency in the business of removing kids in situations like this, but can provide assistance to help remedy the situation.

in general I agree. but what if your belief was also that you could pound the crap out of your kids if you so chose. would that also be the point at which bullets would fly if someone attempted to intervene. I mean I know you wouldnt of course, but people do.

A hundred years ago, seems that way, the neighbors would look out for those in need and give a helping hand, is there a way, you could actually find out her circumstances re: food, etc..and maybe start a drive, including merchants to give assistance...how did you get the call to fix the window.

Mama's my kind of girl and I love her dearly - she's like me and from a generation that did not depend on Big Government to solve local problems or help somebody in need. Nobody f+*&ks anything up like a civil servant who sucks on the taxpayers' teats while shuffling papers on a desk.

Love you, Babs, and so does 1/8 Pole.