Those of you who know me know I adore kids...I have two neighborhood children whose Mother (I'll call Jane) I just found out, is and has been addicted to pills for years. This woman's oldest daughter (18) (I'll call her Amy) confided to me this afternoon about how bad her Mother really is...she says her mom works, comes home, pops pills and passes out in the bed. She said when her baby sister was brought home from the hospital 10 years ago that it was she, Amy, who fed and rocked her.
Amy's mom has told me that her husband accuses her of being addicted to pills but she says she needs them for depression, pain, etc. Her other children (from her current marriage...I'll change their name to protect them)...are Judy 10 and Joey 4. Judy and I are very close (she's in the picture with me in the swing) and told me on more than a dozen occasions how her mom always breaks promises, doesn't clean the house, doesn't let her do anything and hates living at home. Joey is still too little to express some kind of opinion although the cursing and fighting that goes on in that household is taking its toll on these children. Amy told me today how Judy has been cursed at (GD Judy, etc.). The husband, I'll call Jack, was drunk (or high) the evening I walked Judy home...the house was not just cluttered, it was filthy...disgusting.
Amy wants to leave but feels the only protection her siblings have is by her staying there. Amy works and is a freshman in college and is a bright and beautiful young lady...she expressed her low-self esteem issues and I know they've come from her environment. The truth is Amy is very strong, smart and I want so much to help her.
I do not know what to do.
Jane also has a spending problem...Amy said that in one month $3000 was spent and there's nothing to show for it...the credit cards are being used again and Jane told me the other day she doesn't have two nickles to rub together. Jane told me she and her husband have slept in seprate bedrooms for 2 years...their son sleeps with dad, their daughter with her. She said she does not love her husband and would leave the marriage if she could afford to but is trapped because she and the kids would have no way to live.
Jane came over tonight and she was on something...I could tell she'd just woken up and her speech was slurred.
Jane asked if I was going to the fair...and Judy popped up and said, 'mama never takes me anywhere. mama comes home and goes to bed and we don't do anything together.' Her mom sat there and didn't say anything. I never realized how much or bad things are until today when Amy opened up to me.
I need advice with what to do with this information. I'm sure Larry would tell me to MYOB and nuture Judy and Joey as much as possible and be there when Amy needs to talk. I'm wondering if there might be some type of social work intervention. Amy just opened up to me and I want her to keep doing so. This is awful and I do not want to sit here knowing what I know and let these children suffer.