So my mom came up to visit and vote and stayed at my brother's house one night(her old house that she still legally owns) and my apartment the next night. Why? Because apparently my brother has let his house get so gross that it's infested with roaches and has mold etc. Impromptu sleepovers and family drama, yay. Anyways, my brother has a kid. She's 4 now. Also his wife is pregnant again. But like, I had to have a talk with him this past summer to explain to him that he shouldn't call his daughter a bitch in front of her face because yay self-esteem problems and depression and hey, I'm on meds for depression and girls are delicate etc. So things like that and add in finding out that his house is such a wreck (I haven't been inside in over a year) and now I'm just thinking... Should I try to get legal custody of my niece? Can I? Would it be what's best for her? Right now I'm a grad student, but I should finish my program by next Christmas. So like, if she doesn't get taken away by CPS or Mom doesn't get her life together first, should I try to stay around instead of going to another country to teach English and get a steady job close by? Should I steal this baby? I just... I don't know what to do, guys. My niece seems to be okay for now. Like, she's not especially sickly or anything that I've noticed with when I see her when my brother visits my dad etc. But I'm worried about the kid in the long term as she grows up. But if I do call CPS or try to steal the kid, that will cause all sorts of family drama and everyone will hate me but what's best for the kid and-
CPS shouldn't tell them who called. You don't even have to tell them what your relation is, if you're really concerned that it might get back to your family, just that you know about the mould and roaches and you're concerned about the kid. I understand that it's a hard position to be in, but the mould is especially concerning since it could lead to respiratory infections, and illnesses are especially dangerous to young kids.
Also because of her mom being pregnant again, they qualify for some government assistance of some sort so my niece is supposed to be going in to government subsidized child care?
"supposed to be going" as in will in the future, or should currently be but is not? My sister works for a government subsidised daycare. If it's anything like the one Niece will be attending, they might be able to find some assistance with getting their house back in shape through the daycare.
"Supposed to be going" as in her mom just went in this week to verify she was pregnant and do whatever it is you do to get this government assistance.
Oh good, that's promising. Hopefully this daycare will be able to help the family some. Even if not, the less time Niece is spending near mould/cockroaches the better.
i think in the long run intervention now might be a lot better than if things get really bad and then you/someone else steps in and takes the kid. if the government program (childcare?) works out, intervention might not be necessary. but if you live in the US the likelihood of government programs like that being gutted just went way up so. if the program gets her assistance and also teaches her How To Be A Parent then she might be okay if the government assistance becomes unavailable. but if it just provides childcare then i would worry a lot about her ability to parent if the program is taken away.
