[DaddyGlenn]

Grady,

My two youngest were adopted after we fostered them for two years. Granted they were 19 months and 3 years old when they came into our home and hadn't seen the kind of damage 10+ years of neglect can do, they have issues.

Based on my training and personal experience, I would guess that your foster son was in and out of the system for most of his life and I'm guessing suffers from a certain degree of Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD).

If I'm right, he has trouble bonding with others and is masterful at manipulating people (a consummate lair). Be very careful and do not trust anything he says.

If you do decide to help, make everything you give or do for him ... conditional. Make him earn everything. I mean every little thing. And he should earn it before he receives it.

It is OK to have compassion. After all it is not his fault he had the childhood he had. He is most likely doing the very best he can to survive with the "tools" he learned. Just guard yourself.

Please keep us posted. I'll be happy to lend an ear anytime. You have given so much to this forum, I'd like to "give back" in any way I can.