my son at the age of 15 started to drink, do drugs, and get in trouble with the law, not going to school, etc. he became very withdrawn from his family, did’t care for his step father and had very little respect for me. he lost his father to death at the age of 9, but seemed to handle it well, and got along with his step father and brother and myself very well, he was and A student in school and had plenty of friends. when he turned 17, he and a group of boys he ran with, broke into a home and were arrested, we went back and forth to court for over a year, he finally received 3 years probation and had to complete drug and rehab. he did get released from the drug and rehab program, but has continued to drink, he also comes in and out of my home at all hours of the night, although he is 20 years old now, i feel that he does not have a lot of respect for me or my husband, although at times he will do things like coming to his nieces birthday party, or babysitting for his nieces, he has come to visitation (dressed in a suit and tie) for my husbands grandmother without having to be told that was the right thing to do. he works part time but i feel he should be going to work full time , because he quit school and is now 20. some times i know that he has a good heart, but i feel that i have lost him and need the strength to keep trying to regain the boy i used to know, and to get over the pain that he has caused this family.