Quote Originally Posted by JohnScott View Post
Maybe it is just my dyslexic mind, but I can't help but wonder if the father is really a hopeless case ??

It is all well and good to point the son down another road, but I have no doubt at all that if you could get the father walking along with you, you will have given this boy a much greater gift than an education in fly fishing and some companionship in his youth.

Is there a way to share your energy with the father and the son ??

John
Dad originally had custody of the boy. Mom had the older brother and older sister from her first marriage. Dad has been a very bad alcoholic for a long time. The judge that gave the lad to his dad has a thing about women, I think he is a chauvinist, and recently had charges brought against him for choking his own wife. After mom got custody back dad got drunk then took his rifle and started shooting at the house with his son, the other kids and their mom inside it. His pal in the robes dropped all charges against him. The judge gave partial custody back to the dad after the shooting incident. the boy stayed with dad for two weeks and came back home. Now his dad wants nothing to do with him at all. He even made a point of telling the poor kid that he had given his Christmas present to his own girlfriend's daughter!

Mom and dad are welcome along anytime and can participate too. However, I really think dad is abusive to him as does Nighthawk. We really want to provide him that get away that most kids need at his age. Normally the grand parents do that but his are very, very elderly. No mention nor criticism of hi family will be made. Advice will be given if asked. Our goal is to let him know he is just one of the boys when he is out with us. He is very bright, mature beyond his age and will be treated as an equal, not looked down upon. We want to show him that there is time for a girlfriend, family, school, chores and going fishin' with the guys.

I am thankful to all of you for the encouragement, offers and advice here. Oh, M. K., I almost forgot. His girlfriend just dumped him the other day. Mom overheard part of conversation about it he was having with friend on the phone. When she told me what she heard I told her she better have another heart to heart with him about the facts of life with him!

Help was offered there too.