Hello.. I have a question that I’m not sure if anyone can answer. Basically, I watch a 3 1/2 year old little boy. I have had him Monday evening- Friday evening every single week since he was 4 months old. I keep him overnights, so majority of the week. He is my friends child.

Years ago, my friend came to me because her and her boyfriend were having financial issues and they both needed to work full time, couldn’t afford daycare, and didn’t have any family or really any support system for their child because the family didn’t support the fact that they had a second child when they couldn’t afford the first one.

So I agreed to watch the baby for her so she could work, as I stayed at home and was able to do it. I wanted to help and over a period of time, I just got attached to him. I was the one that figured out which formula to put him on because the one they used was making him sick and they didn’t care, so they told me I could change it. I’ve done the same with a lot of brands and things they used that wasn’t working for him. When they want to know little things about him, even to this day, they call me to ask what his favorite toys are right now, what’s his shoe size, how much does he weigh, etc.

They do not call or check up on him AT ALL during the weeks. I send updates and pictures, and there’s no contact. Many people have told me over the last 2 years to stop because it’s not my kid and the parents don’t care but that’s the problem.. I don’t want to just leave him to be alone with parents that don’t care. I stay at home with my 3 kids, and he is just a part of the family now. He cries every time he leaves with his parents. He clings to me the moment he realizes they are picking him up. He runs to my husband every single time he’s around, but almost refuses to acknowledge his bio dad’s existence.

When he was a baby, his dad would frequently blow vape/weed smoke in to his face sending him in coughing fits and when I said to stop, they would laugh and say “it’s okay I do it all the time”

These are just a few details.. there are many more. Such as her telling me weekly about them screaming at each other, he regularly makes sexual comments about teenage girls, and how their first born child doesn’t live with them full time either. He lives with his grandparents.

I know the friendship is completely because of this child. Because I have him all the time, do you guys think I would have any legal rights to him? I’m sure the answer is no.. and I’ve prepared myself for that. I know that cps has been called there in the past but they have been cleared each time because the only requirements they really have are making sure the child has a room, food, clothes, etc. which they do. They just only see him on weekends, willingly.

They live 16 minutes away from me, they both work from 6am-3pm. They have time to have their child and they choose not to because it’s too hard. I do not bring it up to them because I don’t want them to just take him away from me.