Resource Parents – Stanley and Karen Becker
Setting: The Becker Home, Saturday morning
Karen: Thanks for coming over to our home on a Saturday morning. It’s impressive that you’d work on a Saturday! What? Oh, you’re a volunteer? Does that mean you have a “day job,” so to speak? Can we offer you some coffee?
Stanley: I don’t know how you do that. I work in insurance. And I’m beat when I come home at the end of the day. I’m very thankful my wife takes good care of our home and our family.
Karen: We’re in this with the Amarillo girls for the long haul. Maria has told us of all the places she’s been. That’s tragic! We’re willing to provide a home for them as long as they’d like to live here. We’d even adopt them, if you think that’s an option.
Stanley: I’m not sure Maria would want that. She doesn’t exactly get along with our daughter Susan, who’s about the same age. But Juana and Graciela seem to like it here. And Susan loves having little sisters around to play with. Well, and sometimes boss around.
Karen: Do you mind if we’re frank with you about Maria for a second? We’re a little concerned about her. She likes to spend time at the Valdez house. Which we totally understand. They’re family. But it doesn’t seem to be the best atmosphere. They seem to have a party every weekend. There are always teenage guys milling about.
Stanley: And believe me, I was a teenage boy once. I know what they’re thinking.
Karen: Seriously, these are teenage boys, and there’s been more than one occasion I’ve seen some of those teenagers with beers in their hands. I know she’s been friends with her cousin Lourdes for a long time, and really Lourdes seems like a nice girl. She’s always polite when she comes over here. But, my Lord, that house is so small. I don’t know how they all fit in over there.
Stanley: Karen, do you want to tell the volunteer what you found the other day?
Karen: Ortho-cept pills. Birth control. I haven’t spoken to Maria about them yet, but it just raised our level of concern for her.
Stanley: We’re doing our best with a houseful of girls, and we’re really trying to make sure Maria has the support she needs. And guidance. I know she’s Catholic. We’re Christian too and we make sure we go to church as a family every Sunday. With all the scandal in the Catholic church lately, I think she might even be getting a better message in our church. It’s non-denominational. But The Message is powerful.
Karen: Well, anyways, those are a few concerns we have about Maria. Again, Juana and Graciela are such sweet kids. Graciela just started in the daycare down the street.
Stanley: And Juana is so cute. She’s in kindergarten…
Karen: First grade.
Stanley: First grade. And she is so excited when she comes home from school with a new art project. She even loves doing homework in the evenings.
Karen: Thanks again for stopping by. If there’s anything else you need from us, let us know.
- What are the issues in this case?
- What difference does this interview make to the case?