Another mouth to feed...

@foxyfire33 (10005)
United States
June 18, 2008 1:10pm CST
No, not another baby! Step son invited a friend from Maryland to stay with us for a month. We found out the day before he arrived. It's kind of been amusing...and I mean absolutely no disrespect here...but this kid is a well off, black, city kid in an area that's predominantly middle to lower class, white, and rural. The poor kid is scared to go outside at night, when he first saw our house (mobile home) he asked if we "actually slept in here", and he thinks it's strange that we have to do things ourselves-like cook and clean. The other night he had an asthma attack...they took him to the ER where he proceeded to throw a fit (swearing and yelling) all because he had to wait a whole 2 hours in the waiting room. Well sad to say but that's fast for our ER on a weekend night! His mom is a hot shot doctor down where they live though so I guess he's used to special treatment. He's been here since last Thursday and we've finally gotten him to remember to shut the door when he goes outside or comes back in. I don't know why but for some reason he just left the doors open all the time...he still leaves the bathroom door open though but we'll keep working on that! He still acts like he can do whatever he wants...turning the tv on whenever, changing the channel when other people are watching...LOL stepson's girlfriend yelled at him the very first day he was here though. I was checking things on my computer and got up to get a drink from the kitchen, the kid plopped himself down in my chair and started to X off my stuff! Bre lit right into him "You can't use that computer!" I don't know that I have much of a point. Just sharing with you all the quirks of our houseguest. So now that I've shared feel free to share tales of your own interesting house guests!
7 people like this
15 responses
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
18 Jun 08
Wow, I am not really sure that I've ever had any guests that have not been proper. I know, myself, that I Would be more afraid of offending my hosts to even think of doing something out of line. I would observe their actions and notice if they shut things back or leave them open, even they take their shoes off or keep them on in the house, or various other things. I know that it's different as he's used to a well off family and coming to stay with people who live in a mobile home, can be different I assume. You made your step son's friend sound young, but I assume he is not too terribly young if your step son has a girlfriend. Can I ask you whether the mobile home you live in is single or doublewide? It really can make some difference in the eyes of some . We live in a doublewide , I wonder how the guy would react to being here?
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
18 Jun 08
Well stepson will be 18 next week and his girlfriend will be 18 later this summer. The friend he has staying here is 15 1/2...and that 1/2 is important apparently LOL because anytime anyone says he's 15 he corrects them and says he's 15 1/2! It's a singlwide (14x80)with a 10 foot wide addition down the whole length of one side. It's only partially finished inside (but the main living areas are done) and theoutside is still unfinished...so compared to his $400,000 brick home I'm sure this place looks pretty crappy LOL
2 people like this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
18 Jun 08
LOL...yeah I thought the 1/2's stopped counting long before 15! But he's obviously sheltered and babied at home...he did not know how to work a lighter and saw his first ever 'R' movie while here...and it wasn't a 'bad' R movie, he'd just never seen anything higher than PG-13. I think he'll definitely leave here with a different perspective! The day he came our own quirks suddenly stood out...here was this rich doctor's son looking at a snapping turtle we'd caught in a cat carrier, our youngest running around with one shoe zip-tied together and the 3 year old hauling water jugs in his battery Jeep LOL...yep that kid came straight to redneck country!
3 people like this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
18 Jun 08
He's 15 isn't he a little too old to be worrying about the 1/2 part. Yes, well not everyone can afford to waste $400,000 dollars on a house. It's really not what's inside but who's inside it that makes it a home. I used to have a friend that was from a well off home, and he adapted to the trailer that myself, another old friend of mine and her family were living in. Not everyone can, but then again he is still young. Well I hope the laughs keep coming for you, and maybe at the end of the month when he goes home he'll realize that luxuries aren't needed to have fun. Have a great day.
1 person likes this
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
18 Jun 08
Hi foxyfire..wow! I have not encounter any guest like that..He feels like he own the place and everything inside..Sad for the parents who didn't raise him well..But if that will happen to me, I will talk to him and let him realize his limitations in my house!
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
18 Jun 08
We've slowly laid down some rules, it just seems to take a few tries for him to understand and remember. I think he's just so used to being the "priveledged child" that's it hard for him to get used to the way things work around here.
• United States
19 Jun 08
In a way, I understand too since he used to have a luxurious life and surrounded maybe of all the things that he need! that will be a great vacation for him, have fun as well as learning from other families some values!
@terri0824 (4991)
• United States
18 Jun 08
I don't have any house guest to share anything about, but this is my week off from work and at this moment I think I much rather be working. It hasn't been a good week at all. I'm going to start a discussion about it since I don't start many, so you can read about it here in a little bit.
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
18 Jun 08
I will definitely watch for that then! This is our first time having a 'real' house guest. We've had other friends over, and one was even for an extended time but they were more like family members. This is the first time we'd actually met this kid even though he and step son have been friends for several years...it's definitely been interesting!
@DonnaLawson (4032)
• United States
21 Jun 08
I do understand completely.. I have a new daughter-in-law, (since last Dec.) and she and my son have had to move back in with us because he lost his job... Let the games Begin!!! I wished for him to not ever have had to move out, but I am here to say, "Be careful what you wish for, you might get it".. I do love them but I am so ready for it to be just my husband and myself again and they haven't been here a full week yet.. I will pray for you because I know you will need it.. Good luck to you..
1 person likes this
• United States
21 Jun 08
My father grew up with a similar situation when he was about 12 years old. He moved in with his aunt and her extended family because his father had passed away. Then World War 2 started and all able-bodied men went overseas to serve in the military. A friend of the family named Jake asked to come visit for 2 weeks. Jake ended up staying for 2 years. I wish you the best of luck. May all your unexpected visitors not turn out to be another Jake.
• Mozambique
18 Jun 08
Ever since I relocated to another country,I have never had the experience of caring for house guests which is a sigh of relief for me,no offense to my relatives.It is because I had the extra work that is done,like cooking for more people,washing dishes for more people and preparing a place to sleep for more people.
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
18 Jun 08
I only had one day notice that he was coming and as far as I'm concerned it's step son's responsibility to take care of him. I am busy enough taking care of my own I don't have time for another one!
@freedomg (1684)
• United States
18 Jun 08
First off I think I would have lost my mind if my step son had done that and not even asked, second I would have to speak up to this kid. Sit him down and set some ground rules and if he can't respect you in your home then send his butt back to the people that spoiled him. I had company here once that would sleep in to all hours of the morning while I watched her 6 kids and would do let her kids do things that were against our house rules ( like a 18 month old being allowed to walk around with grape juice in a regular cup when I have white carpet) after three weeks it nearly destroyed our relationship. I still talk to her but have lost a lot of respect for her because she showed me no respect. And I invited them to stay because they had no power and I was trying to help them not lose their kids.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
18 Jun 08
Oh it was definitely very tense when he first told us this kid was coming.... They'd obviously been planning it for weeks. We kind of wanted to tell him to change his plans and wait until later in the summer but the kid's parents had already rearranged their work schedules to drive him up here so we didn't think that would be very polite to them. Respect is a big issue around here in general but that's another discussion lol! He's slowly learning but there are still little things that drive us nuts!
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
18 Jun 08
He's 15 and a 1/2...we can not leave out that 1/2 or he spazzes out!
@freedomg (1684)
• United States
18 Jun 08
My hat is off to you and I will keep you in my prayers in hopes of bringing the kid around. How old is this person anyways?
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
19 Jun 08
I would have been furious with my stepson and I would not put up with disrespect from his friend. It does not matter how he lives, he has no right to act that way.
@jewel76 (2305)
• Canada
19 Jun 08
Geez, i don't care what color the kid is, or where he's from or what the heck his mother does for a living, HE NEEDS TO LEARN SOME MANNERS!! I'd be so totally upset at his lack of disrespect for me, my family and our belongings! You need to kick his butt back to his rich neighborhood!!
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
21 Jun 08
Yeah afterward I realized that his color and the general population here never worked into the discussion like I planned...ah well, probably better that way! Ugh...last night s/o realize this kid had been wearing his good hat. (the Dale Jr 88 one he special ordered before they were available in stores and wouldn't wear anywhere there was even a chance it could get dirty) Anyway this kid just took it and started wearing it without asking, s/o saw it last night and it's ruined...all dirty and sweaty and stretched out.
@subha12 (18441)
• India
19 Jun 08
it is actually problwem of being brought up in a different manner. i think it is not ok al;ways. the boy needs to adjust to the current situation if he really wants to stay with you.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
21 Jun 08
Exactly! But he wants us to change to accommodate him instead.
@guss2000 (2232)
• United States
21 Jun 08
I've never had to deal with a house guest. I'm sorry but this kids seems kinda bratty! You just don't come into someone's house and act like that. It sounds like it's going to be a long month for you. Why does he leave the doors open all of the time? Doesn't he close doors at home? By the way, I live in Maryland... I wonder if you have one of my neighbors bratty kids?? LMAO!
• United States
19 Jun 08
This is what I have to say to (or about) your guest.....How rude!! It seems to me that this CHILD is left to himself quite a bit, therefore, he does just about anything he wants to.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
21 Jun 08
Absolutely! Before he came he though nothing of calling here at midnight! It was pretty much an every night thing even though stepson kept telling him that he was getting in trouble because of the phone ringing so late.
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
18 Jun 08
May you have patients! I would not have enough to deal with this child! It sounds like the most important thing that is wrong with him is that he has not been taught simple manners! Hopefully he will leave with a different perspective than he had when he arrived!
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
18 Jun 08
LOL...either I have the patience of a saint or I've just grown a very thick skin. It will be an interesting few weeks either way! He just seems so out of his element...he actually wanted us to chain up our dog because he was scared of her. This dog is scared of kittens and wouldn't hurt a flea but he's sure she's going to attack him just because she's a dog. Well our last dog that was kept tied up got attacked and killed by another dog or a wild animal so we prefer to give ours a little freedom thank you very much!
1 person likes this
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
18 Jun 08
I almost feel sorry for this kid! Does he have no perception of the world outside the city limits? If not then he will definitely learn some new things. Of course if you stuck me in the city i am not sure i could do any better, i however would show better manners and consideration for my hosts.
• United States
19 Jun 08
He sounds like he is very spoiled when at home. Is he an only child?
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
21 Jun 08
I know for sure he has at least one sister but he is the only boy. I'm about to start yet another update as a follow up to my discussion today about how I "lost it with the big kids".
@zhaosonghan (1039)
• China
19 Jun 08
It's querr kid...The guest that I saw is normal. If I meet this kind of kid, I'm suprise. I don't know when I meet, I expect. Because I never seen before.
• United States
18 Jun 08
Thats kind of a cute and amusing story. you are taking it really well actually. some people would totally flip . I guess you just gotta take him as he is. He probably is used to special treatment...therefore he isnt going to understand how where and how things are done differnetly. as long as he doesnt take advantage of you or purposley cause trouble , then it should be fine. Just remind him of the house rules, and ask him nicely to obey them.