When my offspring were teens we seemed to have an endless supply of extra teens living with us. Some staying for a week or two. Some staying for months. Always bc they were having a rough time at their own family home so our house was a safe place.

One NYr eve my offspring went to a party. Well they said it was a couple of mates hanging out. Yeah right. See that rain shower? I was here long before that bit of precipitation. Anyway, I had ALL the details of said gathering.
I stayed home & sober so I could be their free taxi

Surprise! The couple of mates were a couple of dozen and their plus tens. Parents of the host were out of town. Yeah. Wise much? Lol no. They left their teens alone at home for NY’s eve. Rookie mistake.

Neighbour’s of said party phoned the parents and complained about the noise. Apparently there were no shenanigans, just loud music. A rare party noisey event (obvs) but the whingey neighbour’s still whinged. I consider them narks but whatevs.

So party host parents sped home faster than a DeLorean time machine. They arrived at 1am and the father went full feral rage violent. He picked up a golf club and attacked his son. A fkn golf club!!!!

Party goers fled. My offspring got home and woke me up and told me what happened. I put them in the car & drove back to the party address. We rescued (some would call it kidnapping but semantics) the son and brought him home. He was ok but really not ok.

The next morning our guest was sleeping while my offspring and I had cuppas. Offspring asked me “why were you so upset last night? You were panicking.” Yes readers, I did panic. I was beside myself.

I believed that a young man, a teenager, who not only was beaten by his father but also beaten in front of his friends would be utterly traumatised AND humiliated. These are MASSIVE things for a young man to deal with.

I desperately wanted to catch and hold and keep safe this young man. If I didn’t, I feared the events would scare him so deeply he wouldn’t be able to emotionally recover.

It was important to me that my offspring, as the young man’s peers, also held this young man’s heart. That they were able to stand with him and show him unfaltering loyalty and care.
I’m so proud so say that’s exactly what my offspring did.

The young man lived with us for a while and he helped me landscape my backyard.

Anyway, roll forward to today. I was having a bit of an IG stalk and I’m delighted to see this young man living a full and joyful life. Friends. Adventures. Travel. Happiness. Independent.

I just wanted to share a bit of my happy. Big happy.

xxx