Oh boy ~ you have some troubles, don't you. I'm so sorry.

Have YOU had to be both mother AND father to these kids for the last 4 years? Has Dad played any part in their upbringing since his injury? I hope so -- I hope he hasn't just let YOU do all the parenting, cause these kids need guidance, PLUS disciplining!

Have these kids been given any "borders" or guidelines they can't cross? What kind of discipline have they had? Do they run roughshod over you? I was just wondering, since they made excuses to you. Plus the younger one is acting up quite badly too. Believe me, I KNOW how hard it is to bring up kids nowadays. Things are ALOT different than even when I brought MY kids up -- my son is 43, and my daughter is 37 -- and when they were told to do something, they did it. Not because they'd get hit because we NEVER laid ONE HAND on them -- but because that's just the way we brought them up. And if they didn't do what they were told, they were grounded. Today, that wouldn't work.

Give the counseling time, my friend. It doesn't work overnight. But make SURE the whole family attends, okay? NO EXCUSES there! I applaud you for going and seeing that they go too! You're doing exactly the right thing.

And I'm glad YOU are seeing a therapist too sweetie. What happened in the past was NOT YOUR FAULT. You were a child -- yes, even as a teenager, you were a CHILD. It was not your fault. Don't EVER accept any blame, my friend.

Keep us posted, will you? Things WILL get better, I promise. I'll keep looking for updates. God bless! Hugs, Lee