Me and my SO just took in my 10yr old cousin from a bad situation. Short form; eviction to eviction, school to school, piss stained mattresses and malnourished. 1 of 6 girls. They've had lice so many times two of the girls just keep their heads shaved :(

So we took her in and she fits perfectly, she's polite and soo sweet; we're in the process of essentially adopting her.. Its a work in progress. she wants to stay and it was her own choice; we always just told her she had a room here as long as she wanted, if she wanted to go home We'd never stop her but she'd always have a room.

We got her early enough she's still able to be shown (and easily accept) that life wasn't supposed to be that way. Shes done very well so far with keeping her room clean and we pay her for extra chores she does if she wants to buy herself that 'new movie'. Trying to teach her that hard work pays off. So with that, also trying to teach her its not normal to have garbage and dirty diapers on the floor all the time.

Point of this post;

How old should a child be before they clean a bathroom, my concern is the chemicals. We only have 8yrs to get a good head on her shoulders, which she's got but to keep it there and reinforce it. Kids expierment enough coming from a good home let alone what she just left.

My SO is 33 and I'm 27, no kids of own (yet) so some motherly input would be nice:)

We've also decided once a month she's to make dinner too:) we'll help her but just so she gets use to it. She wasn't taught many life skills.. So sad. But I'm so extremely happy she's here!!

We got family pics done for the first time.. Hopefully many more to come!