Katlego Sekhu

A listener, who finds himself at a crossroads, shared his story: when he married his late wife, she already had a son. He raised the boy as his own, but since his wife’s passing, the son has become rebellious and started hanging out with the wrong crowd.
The listener has tried everything to help the boy, including seeking professional help, but nothing seems to be working. He is deeply concerned that the boy’s behaviour will negatively influence his other three children.
Now, he is torn between staying the course and continuing to support the boy or making the difficult decision to let him go. He loves the boy as his own but feels overwhelmed and unsure of how to move forward without jeopardising the well-being of his younger children.
“When I met my wife, she already had a son. I raised the boy as my own until his mother, my wife, unfortunately, passed away after a short illness in 2022. Before my wife passed on, our boy had already started hanging out with the wrong group of friends. We reached out to his biological father, but he didn’t seem too interested in helping us.
“After my wife’s passing, I told her family that I would continue to take care of all the children, but it is proving to be very difficult. The boy has gotten worse, and now I am afraid he will negatively influence his younger brothers.
“I have spoken to him and even suggested counselling, but he won’t listen. He is also not doing well at school, and every now and then, I get called in. I don’t even have a social life, as on weekends I feel I always need to be at home to take care of my younger children and ensure their brother does not bother them.
“I know I made a vow that I would raise all the children, but this one is proving to be hard. Would I be wrong to tell the boy to go live with his grandparents? I don’t want it to seem like I am throwing him away, but I have tried everything, and I am failing. I have three other children who need my attention. I love the boy like my own, but I am at a crossroads.”
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