Hello, I'll just mentione briefly that I was a single-parent for 2 children for 20 yrs., from when my sons were born until they became adults. I kicked my EX out when they were babies and he was never home anyways. They always had a non-participating father (living nearby). I remained in the good-size house, and there were always other kids in the house; I helped to raise 2 nephews, and the neighbors' 2 daughters spent more time in our home than in their own home. And, my girlfriend at the time went on to have 11 children, and I babysat them .one. weekend. :o) But, then came -- the teen-age years ! They had made friends in another part of town where I didn't know those families, so I complained. My older son (the one who "pushed the buttons") said to me, OK, you don't want us over there; we'll bring everyone over here ! OUCH ! For the next 5 yrs. our home was a "teen-age drop-in center." Many weekends we would have 20 to 30 teens visiting. And, different teens lived with us for a short time or a long time. Some were "homeless" - their decisions or their parents' decision. And, the whole time .I. was the only adult in the home ! How I survived those years -- only Heaven knows ! But, since 1980, I became more aware of the Guardian Angels all around us ! Over 20 yrs. later, a few of those "teens" have found me on Facebook ! A girl wrote to tell me how much she enjoyed visiting our home. She was part of a couple - always together - and they are now married with 3 school-age children. A boy wrote to sincerely apologize for being such a "jerk" (to put it kindly) during the times he visited our home. Another couple "got pregnant" in our home; their child just graduated from high school. Another couple "got pregnant" after I lost the house to foreclosure in 1992 (because of a bad EX). I helped to raise their child during the 1990's. ... I could write a book ! ... :o) (Hoping to write it Erma Brombeck style.) Betty (near Lowell, MA)