My neighbor recently asked me to look after her six children. She seemed desperate and promised to return on Sunday. However, something didn’t feel right, and I found myself in a difficult situation. I turned to Reddit for advice, wondering if I had done the right thing by calling Child Services.

You see, this was not the first time the mother had convinced me and other neighbors to watch her children. She had a way of persuading people, even though she never returned the favor. But this time, something felt off. When she knocked on my door yesterday, I pretended not to be home. She became more insistent, and I was afraid she would go to extreme measures to get me to open up.

Reluctantly, I answered the door, and she quickly informed me that she would be back on Sunday. Unfortunately, her words were somewhat confusing, and I wasn’t able to fully understand her intentions. Her six children, ranging from six months to seven years old, were with her. She even mentioned that a taxi was waiting for her outside. When I told her I couldn’t watch her children, she hastily left and got into the taxi, leaving me alone with the kids.

Feeling overwhelmed, I reached out to the mother via text, explaining the situation and expressing my concerns. I gave her forty minutes to come back and collect her children. After she failed to respond to my message, I tried calling her, leaving the same urgent request. Her response shocked me. She claimed it would be impossible for her to return in such a short amount of time because she had already left town. She even suggested that our elderly neighbor, Jennifer, who was in poor health, could take care of the children if I couldn’t.

Realizing that the well-being of the children was at stake, I made the difficult decision to call Children’s Services. It wasn’t an easy choice, but it felt necessary given the circumstances. After I reached out to them, I texted the mother to let her know what I had done. In her angry response, she even threatened me. I felt scared but knew that I had done the right thing for the children’s safety.

When Child Services arrived to pick up the children, I recorded a video to show the mother what was happening. The police were also present because, as it turns out, they often accompany rescue missions in cases of abandoned children and illegal activities.

Despite my conviction that I did what was best for the children, my husband, who had experienced foster care himself, was furious with me. He accused me of tearing the mother away from her children and claimed that I hadn’t given her enough time to come back and collect them. He believed we should have followed her instructions and left the children with Jennifer or in the taxi.

This disagreement with my husband left me feeling upset and uncertain. Without his support, I questioned my actions and wondered if I should go back to Child Services to explain the situation and possibly find a way to make the children feel better in their current situation.

This experience has opened my eyes to the challenges faced by children in foster care. I never realized how tough it could be for them. Despite the difficult circumstances, I will do my best to ensure the well-being of the children and find ways to support them.

What do you think about this situation? Share your thoughts and experiences. Let’s continue the conversation.