When you WANT to do the right thing...

Why is it so hard to help the less fortunate...ok, so that phrase isn't really fitting this situation, but kinda.

So, there are a couple of boys at our apt. complex (and that attend H's school) that are starved for attention (IMHO). During the summer, they would be at the playground, unsupervised and oft times be wondering around the complex. There's no way that their mom could see them from their apt. They have been asking to come over FOREVER. I always put them off, b/c I'd not met their mom and I'm not comfortable with kids being over without me knowing a parent. (Don't even get me started about letting my own kids go somewhere that I don't know a parent - that is a HUGE no-no!!). Anyway - a couple of weeks ago, they figured out exactly which apartment we live in (I'm sure H was happy to inform them! LOL). They showed up and I decided to let them come up and play a while.

I want my kids to be kind and loving to others - to EVERYONE - regardless of race, gender, etc. I want them to befriend the shy kids and be nice to the mean ones. I want them to stand up for the ones that get made fun of. These are things that I want to teach them to do.

But at what cost? How far do I let this go? These kids are just kids. They *seem* to come from a family that just overlooks them (to a degree - I'm not saying they are being completely neglected). I want to let them come into our home and feel important. But again, at what cost? They are influencing our kids in ways that I'm not liking at all. They are constantly asking for things (asking to have certain toys). I was told by another mom here at the complex that you have to check the older ones pockets upon their leaving. I've worked REALLY hard at not judginh them based on her comment. I don't watch them like a hawk (like I wanted to when they first came over). The older asked H for a toy when they were here once. It's something that was with a set and as nice as we could, we informed the kids that they couldn't give anything away *today* - trying to make it a point that maybe one time we would allow something like that. Then we overheard him whisper to H to just pretend that he lost it. AGHAGHAGH!

OK - done venting. I want to help these boys, but I don't want my kids picking up their bad habits.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!!!