We all have warm homes, lots of space or more or less, nice beds to sleep on, plenty of rooms for our kids and parents, and so forth. Although all this sounds wonderful, not everyone has such luxury. One sleeping space is not enough for some families. It is extremely tight because many of the children share a single bed. These living arrangements are not normal. Every child should have their own bed.
Today, we will be discussing the Forrest family with Cherry and Darren as well as their 3 children. This is not the end of the story. The couple first lived together in a counseling centre with their 3 children. But, after 10 years, 7 more members joined the group, making it a total of 10. There is no room for each child separately, and that is precisely the problem. It was necessary to take drastic measures and create another space for the entire family and all the children. Another problem was that one of their children had autism and needed to be kept in a closet. The family had no other options, and they didn’t have any money. The entire family was placed on a waiting list to be granted a larger house for a few more years. They thought of another option.
Problem was the autistic child in the family. Autism has different needs than other children. This child needed a separate, private space. He didn’t want anyone touching his belongings or him. This was impossible for the family because it took up so much space. The family had to put the child in a closet that looked like a bedroom.
There are more problems. Although the oldest daughter has epilepsy, she also requires a separate room. However, it is impossible to afford this. The couple explained that the daughter can have seizures at night so an ambulance is on the way. Other children sleep in the same room so everyone will be awakened. Yes, sleeping is a problem. But the root of all evil is the small space. Everybody lives on top of the other person in some way.
Mold is another problem! This family has more problems! The house was too old and damaged. There was a strong mold smell in every space. The bathroom also had a water leak and the roof collapsed. The school noticed more hygiene issues and decided that this was not a good way to live for children.
All of us hope that this family can live a more normal, pleasant life.