The child of one of our neighbors comes over frequently to play with our children. She is a healthy, pretty, normal (for lack of a better word) four-year-old with a sweet disposition. My problem is with her parents. This little girl is more often than not dirty and underdressed for the weather. She comes over for hours without a single adult coming to check on her. Sometimes all she wants is to cuddle, and you can tell that she's not getting much affection at home. On a couple of occasions, I sent her home when I was feeding my children lunch, only to see her sitting on the steps, waiting for them to get finished because there was no one at her home, so I've brought her back inside, washed the grime off her hands and face, and fed her. My husband says I shouldn't get involved, but there is no way I can turn my back on her in good conscious.

I have a calendar filled with dates for therapists, neurologist appointments and physical checkups, and I consider myself lucky when compared to other parents of special needs children. I know parents whose children are strapped to ventilators just to keep them breathing, children with Downs Syndrome and Spina Bifida, children whose legs are encased in braces, and one heartbreakingly beautiful set of identical twins with Multiple Sclerosis. Any one of us would sell our own souls to make our children completely healthy, and it infuriates me that there are parents of healthy children who neglect them.

Sorry, but I really had to get that off my chest.

Uhura :o)

PS: The two-year-old has her appointment with the neurologist tomorrow.