I wonder how people keep going in these situations. I feel so tired and exhausted from it. My SS15 was diagnosed with EBD, and psychosis, and has had a long history of violent behaviour, with the police being called twice. The reason the came to our house to live (from his Mom's) was because he made a hit list on it with a bunch of people from the school, and the list included me. His Mom called us, and asked us to take him b/c she couldn't handle him. That was about nine months ago. Since then, he has lived with us, and I am finding it stressful.

Overall, he is much better than when he first came to us, but sometimes I just wonder how to keep going. I care about him, but I also get so sick of his attitude. The latest thing is that he talks badly of his Dad, blaming him for everything in his life. Yes, his Dad has made mistakes, but he loves him a lot, and has spoiled him a bit, if anything. He acts like he's being abused if his Dad gives him any discipline, at all.

He also always talks about wanting to beat people up, and how he has done so on the way home from school. I think most of it is just talk, but he does have a history of violence. I tell him I don't want violence talked about in our home. It's so exhausting to constantly have to hear it.

I have tried to listen to him, and care about him, and understand him. It just feels like a bottomless pit, sometimes, though. He had major problems with his last school (I just read the file) and his BM blames THE SCHOOL for everything. He has been brought up to believe that everyone else is to blame for his problems, and now he blames his Dad for everything.

He is 15 years old, six feet tall, and 200 lbs. Sometimes I wish we could send him back to him Mom's. I took this job on believing that we could help him, and love him, with God's help. He rejects God, and rejects anything to do with Christianity. He expects to get paid if helps around the house in any way. I don't know how much is fairly standard teenage behaviour, and how much is extreme. I have worked with teens for much of my career, but at least I could send them home. Now, I live with this very troubled teen, and mentally, I don't know how to keep going. How do you guys do it? Keep up the fight, and not lose your sanity?

thanks ...