Guest says:
"I said it would involve a rigorous assesment on yourself and plenty of professional help and training."

I don't know what wonderful world you live in but I was a registered certified foster parent in NYC and the training was minimal. Assessment? They measured my huge bedrooms and checked to see if there was milk in the frig.They also did a background check for previous abuse complaints. Mostly I was instructed to do whatever nonsense the supervising social worker (not college trained but promoted through the system) said. This included lying about supervised visits, removing my son from school for three days for a dental appointment - one to dope him up, one for treatment, one for recovery. I could go on forever. And it hit the fan when I took him after school one day to my family dentist who treated him without painkiller and without incident. First they threatened not to pay for it - that was never an option for me. Then they threatened to sue the dentist. I offered my lawyer's number.He was healthy, happy, for the first time in his life doing well in school...but I was an unfit foster mother because I did not blindly take direction.

Shall I tell you about his previous foster parents who beat him with wire hangers until he required hospitalization? They were allowed to keep their other foster children when he was removed - obviously the beatings were his own doing. Or the ones before that who covered him with bruises and human bites? How about the sexual abuse performed systematically by another foster mother's boyfriend?

I am with Lily, GUEST. Time to go flame someplace else and preferably on a subject you have some experience in.

And back to the original topic - Lily, you have been used. Veronica is a pawn. Rant away and do what you know is best. You have a head on your shoulders and a good heart. Your best instincts will not fail you.
SINS