Jack’s Story

I lived with my mom and her boyfriend for a while before my little sister came along.  I am 8 and my little sister is 2.  My mom’s boyfriend, who was my sister’s dad, was not nice to me or my sister.  He wasn’t supposed to live with us and mom knew that but let him stay in our bedroom and I had to bring him food.  He hurt me and I didn’t like him but my mom told me that I had to lie to my teachers and friends or she was going to hurt me worse.  My mom told me that my dad didn’t want me and that I had to live with her and her boyfriend; he was my new dad.

One day, when they were fighting really bad, a nice woman who lived next door called the police.  When they came they found out that my mom’s boyfriend was a bad person and they took him away.  I didn’t want to see my mom again because she had made me live with the mean man.  I had this nice woman who came to visit me and asked me what I liked and where I wanted to live. She was a CASA.  I don’t know what that is really but I liked her.  She told me that she had met my dad and that he wanted to see me. I couldn’t really remember him but I was excited.  My mom told me he didn’t want me and I believed her.  I met my dad and then got to go live with him. It was weird at first because I didn’t remember him but he was really nice.  My CASA came to visit me at my new place with my dad. My dad said that my CASA was part of the reason that I get to live with him. He said that he had done some things that weren’t so nice in the past but that he had gotten better and is fixed now.  My CASA helped convince the lady who makes decisions that I could live with my dad. Now, I love my school, I have new clothes, and I get to see my baby sister a lot! She lives in another house with nice people. I am really happy now – I have my own room with a blue bedspread and a place for toys.  Best of all – I get to live with my dad and I finally know that he really loves me!