Matthew Morgan's cottage

[Luciaphile]

Well, we know that Amy's only relative left is Chris, and while they don't know why he seems to be so reluctant to care for her, we know he has a very good reason.

He has a problem 3 days out of the month.  That's pretty much it.  Chris doesn't even try to make it work. He couldn't be bothered to spend time with her when she was upset and recently released from a mental hospital, but he could be bothered to go out for drinks.  Sorry, that doesn't fly with me.  Find a way to make your life and your problems less intrusive and deal with it.  

S

P

O

I

L

E

R

S

And, Hallie's parents had recently died (I think it was a car crash) and Prof. Stokes was her uncle.  I forget just how it came about that they took her in, but (aside from the fact that we know what a weird place it is), it would seem that the Collins family could offer more for her than her uncle.

In the first place, the Collins family is not Hallie's family.  Stokes is.  The people down the street might have more to offer a child than his or her own family, but that doesn't mean they should take the kid in.  He's a frigging college professor.  We've seen the character's home and it doesn't seem like he's suffering financially.  Yeah, it also looks like a single bedroom residence, but under the circumstances, you'd think the man would move into something larger and step up to the plate.

Let me put it another way.  Young girl loses both of her parents in a violent accident.  Wrenched away from her environment to strange new place.  Her only relative can't be bothered to make the needed adjustments to take care of her and dumps her with strangers, kind strangers, but still not people she knows.  

Sorry, to sound so passionate about this, but it's just not right in my book.

Luciaphil

[Carol]

Let me put it another way.  Young girl loses both of her parents in a violent accident.  Wrenched away from her environment to strange new place.  Her only relative can't be bothered to make the needed adjustments to take care of her and dumps her with strangers, kind strangers, but still not people she knows.

Sorry, to sound so passionate about this, but it's just not right in my book.

Unfortunately, stuff like this goes on even in this day and age of disposable people.
One of my daughter's male friends has all his worldly goods in our cellar because his aunt was going to throw his stuff out as well as his mother's(mother died of CA/absentee father lives in another state)when she assumed rights to the house. It didn't seem to matter to her that he was her nephew and wouldn't have a place to live. He now lives with friends. He's a nice guy, too; would do anything for you.

[onyx_treasure]

    Luciaphil,  I have to agree with you about Amy and Hallie.  I am sure Joe had family that could take Amy in.  Joe even mentioned early in the series that he had an uncle with a farm on the outskirts of town.  Amy came from a middle class background it seemed odd that the wealthiest family in town would take in a foster child that they did not know or have any connection with.  As for Hallie, I think it is even less plausible for the professor to dump her with the Collins family.  However,  I have read how many people feel about Hallie and they probably understand why he did it.

[VAM]

    However,  I have read how many people feel about Hallie and they probably understand why he did it.

Please fill me in...How do others feel?

[Cassandra]

Unfortunately, stuff like this goes on even in this day and age of disposable people.
One of my daughter's male friends has all his worldly goods in our cellar because his aunt was going to throw his stuff out as well as his mother's(mother died of CA/absentee father lives in another state)when she assumed rights to the house. It didn't seem to matter to her that he was her nephew and wouldn't have a place to live. He now lives with friends. He's a nice guy, too; would do anything for you.

That is so sad Carol.   Whatever happened to the days when you could count on your Relatives to help you out?With family members now a days living so far apart from each other and spread out all over the U.S.  you would think the ones who are living close to one another could rely on each other's help in times of trouble.  Times have sure changed!

[Raineypark]

There have ALWAYS been both generous souls, and those who begrudge every act of charity requested of them.  

I suspect that years ago, people were just more afraid of the condemnation they would endure in their community if they didn't 'do right' by a family member in need.  Today, people couldn't care less what their neighbors think, so they walk away from anything that's going to inconvenience them.

I have also found it to be true that those who would seem the least able to provide help are often the first to arrive with it.....the elderly family member who's just scraping by never forgets the Christmas present for the little one.....the young family with kids of their own who always think to invite a neighbor child who would otherwise go nowhere.

On DS, the 'fostering' of children is entirely plot driven.  How could David and Amy "play the game" if every time they needed to be in the same place, someone's stay-at-home Mom had to drive Amy over to David's house?

Rainey

[onyx_treasure]

There have ALWAYS been both generous souls, and those who begrudge every act of charity requested of them.

I have also found it to be true that those who would seem the least able to provide help are often the first to arrive with it.....the elderly family member who's just scraping by never forgets the Christmas present for the little one.....the young family with kids of their own who always think to invite a neighbor child who would otherwise go nowhere.

    This is so true, Rainey.  An apartment house just burned down in my town.  Several of my son's school mates have lost everything(clothing, toys, everything).  The school is putting on a spaghetti dinner.  All the children brought home fliers requesting donations of clothing, bedding, furniture, and money.  The police department is going to help serve the spaghetti.This is a very poor town.  I have learned that while Mainers are wary of strangers they will give you the shirt off their back.  I used to live in California.  If a house burned down it was just another strangers misfortune and none of your concern.  Here in Maine, everyones life matters.

[Luciaphile]

On DS, the 'fostering' of children is entirely plot driven.  How could David and Amy "play the game" if every time they needed to be in the same place, someone's stay-at-home Mom had to drive Amy over to David's house?

Oh, I totally agree.  I guess I'm saying that in the case of Amy, it would have been nice to see some more in the writing maybe from some of the other characters at least bringing up the point that Chris can't get his stuff together.  There is some of that (mainly from Joe) but not a lot.

As for Hallie

S

P

O

I

L

E

R

S

The kids are possessed yet again in what has to be a pretty lame plotline (David and Hallie playing with dollhouses and rocking horses???).  They could have come up with something better.  Everyone but Stokes and possibly Sheriff Patterson was living on the estate by then and it made absolutely no sense.

Luciaphil

[onyx_treasure]

    I never understood why they didn't have the children be family.  It would make more sense.   An Aunt in New York was mentioned so why not cousins.  Amy is problematic because of the werewolf curse but there was no excuse for Hallie.  She was old enough for the professor to send her to a boarding school.

[kuanyin]

He has a problem 3 days out of the month.  That's pretty much it.  Chris doesn't even try to make it work. He couldn't be bothered to spend time with her when she was upset and recently released from a mental hospital, but he could be bothered to go out for drinks.  Sorry, that doesn't fly with me.  Find a way to make your life and your problems less intrusive and deal with it.

I have to agree 100%. I especially hate how Chris reacts when Carolyn asks him his permission for something re: Amy, like the trip to Boston. "Huh? Amy? Obvious mental process: 'Oh yeah, I have a sister and her name is Amy'. "Oh, OK, sure ANYTHING you want to do with Amy will be fine, I'm sure!"

[Dr. Eric Lang]

Let me put it another way.  Young girl loses both of her parents in a violent accident.  Wrenched away from her environment to strange new place.  Her only relative can't be bothered to make the needed adjustments to take care of her and dumps her with strangers, kind strangers, but still not people she knows.

It's especially appalling when you consider the fact that Professor Stokes, by this time, has long been well aware of the dangerous supernatural things that go on at Collinwood. If it were my niece, I'd do everything in my power to keep her away from that place, not send her off to live there!

[kuanyin]

It's especially appalling when you consider the fact that Professor Stokes, by this time, has long been well aware of the dangerous supernatural things that go on at Collinwood. If it were my niece, I'd do everything in my power to keep her away from that place, not send her off to live there!

Well, he didn't mind taking in Adam and spending all his spare time on educating him! The only excuse I can think is that young adolescent girls give him the heebiejeebies, though man-made monsters without a soul don't.