Dr. Helen talks about the recent school shooting in Colorado, and the need to more apropriately address depression in teenage boys. One of the very real problems that leads to criminal behavior in teens is broken families.

Our family; my wife and I, and our two biological children, is a foster family for a little four year old girl. Last night I met another foster dad, and had a great conversation with him.

He got involved in fostering because a friend of his teenage son was being emotionally abused and neglected by his alcoholic parents.

It takes a lot of stones to foster a teenager, even if you know the kid. In my eyes, this guy is on par with a marine or a fire fighter for what he's doing.

I'm not a big fan of the government-as-parent, but there are legitimate times where someone with authority has to step in. We as individuals can't save a whole generation of kids, but the more people who step up to the plate to help out just one kid, the less of these horror stories will happen.

It doesn't take a village to raise a child. It takes loving parents, one set at a time. Many people have the abilities to raise foster kids.

We need more of you to step up.

For information on how to help here in Massachusetts, you can check out the Massachusetts Department of Social Services or go directly to their page on fostering or if you want to look into provideing a permanent home for a child, see the MA Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE)

This has also been cross-posted at North Shore Unschoolers