DEAR ABBY: I am writing in response to "Sherri in Cincinnati," who wrote that as a lonely teen-ager she was welcomed into her best friend's family. I agree with your answer, Abby -- sometimes it does "take a village" to raise a child.
I left my husband when my son, "Kenny," was 2. I had to work, and Kenny was raised by a "village." My mother, grandmother, father, brother, sister and friends all took the time to play an important part in his life. When I married my current husband, my in-laws never missed a beat -- they immediately became a part of my son's "village," too.
I am proud to say Kenny, now 13, is an incredible person -- an honor student, athletic, musically talented and popular among his peers. I frequently receive compliments from teachers and other parents about how polite, kind, respectful and well-mannered he is. When I hear those words, I tell them I wish I could take all the credit, but my son is a "village" child.� Some of Kenny's teen-age friends have troubled lives, and we open our door to them. They spend nights here; we do laundry, cook meals, I help with their homework and display their photos. Some have even accompanied us on family vacations. They feel free to discuss any topic that comes to mind. When our relatives visit, we do not exclude Kenny's friends -- we simply expand our "village."
Abby, I would like to thank all of these wonderful souls who took an interest in my son. I never could have done it without them. -- LISA IN ILLINOIS
DEAR LISA: There is nothing as important in the life of a young person as the involvement of caring adults. Your son seems to have incorporated the talents and finest qualities of everyone with whom he has had contact. Strong role models and unconditional love can heal even the most emotionally impoverished person -- and that goes for adults, too.