A Visit from DFACS

Well one of my worst nightmares came true today. I got a visit from the Department of family and childrens services. Yikes and double Yikes. We were in my bedroom watching a Ken Ham video for science when the phone rang. I looked at a cell phone number that I did not recognize, so I let the answering machine pick it up. When I heard something about DFACS I was curious, so I picked up. I honestly thought it had something to do with some paper work for my adoption or someone elses. The man identified himself and asked if he could stop by for a meeting with me. I asked what it was regarding and he said that there was a call into them saying that there were children in my home being left unsupervised for long periods of time. I said he could come over, and he said he would be there in 5-10 minutes. I was pretty nervous, I briefed the kids quickly while I called Nate who happened to be having lunch at Applebees, 1 mile from the house. The dfacs guy beat Nate home however, so I had to go in alone for the first 5 minutes. I told him right off the bat that before anything else was said that I was in the middle of an adoption and I didn't want anything to interfere with that. He said that he just had some ?'s he needed to ask me about the children being left at home. I told him, before he had a chance to ask that yes it is true that I leave my children at home to go across the street to ingles to pick up something. I leave Austin at home frequently, because I feel that he is totally responsible to be home for short periods of time. The other two I hardly ever leave, but I will occassionally, when they are occupied with something and I will be gone for a few minutes. Yesterday was a prime example, we were watching our spanish video when I realized I didn't have a plantain, for the fried plantains we were suppossed to be making. I left them all watching to go get it, I can be there and back in under 7 mins most times. (truthfully) Well I know that Austin is not old enough to babysit, you have to be 13 to do that, but I've kept myself ignorant of the other stuff. He said that everything I did was fine, and not a problem. I asked him what the law was, but he didn't have an answer so I don't know if there is one. He was a young married man, and extremely nice and get trying to put me at ease by saying that they have to investigate all calls. I allowed him to question each one of the kids individually, and they did beautifully. I prayed that God would guard Luke's mouth, and he did. He asked them-
"Do you like being at home"
"Do you ever feel scared"
"What don't you like about being at home"

They all answered with things like "they don't like going to bed"
"they get scared when someone jumps out from behind a door"
"they like doing stuff with us"
"they don't like school"

He said that most likely everything would be considered unsubstaniated and there would be no investigation or anything else. But what burns me up is that I was reported in the first place. Who thinks I'm a neglectful mother? And now I have a file or something down at Dfacs. I already talked to my friendly neighbors next door who were out of town this week, and they have no idea why anyone would ever think that our kids aren't properly taken care of. (these are the neighbors that love my kids) It bugs me that someone didn't find out all the facts before calling, my other neighbors don't even know how old my kids are. 9 yr olds are allowed to be left at home, Evan is so big he looks like a nine yr old. Also I have left them alone a couple of times when I have called my friendly neighbors, just to have them keep an eye on my house while I'm gone. They don't come in my house and my kids didn't go to theirs, but they were sitting on their porch or working in the yard, or just being home. And my kids know to go there if someone gets hurt or there is a fire or fight. So everything seems to be fine. I will be calling the supervisor tommorrow to see if I ever do this again will I get in trouble. They never told me that any of the situations I presented were wrong, so I'm still uncertain if the snitch sees me leaving will they make more trouble. Another thing that is suspicous is that I always park my vehicle around the side/back so people can't see who is coming and going from my house, that is something that I have consciencely been aware of since we moved into this house. The fact that we live on a busy street and I didn't want people seeing who was home and not home. I always felt safer not announcing to the world that the house was empty. Also our van windows are tinted, so you can't really count heads, and of course they have never stepped foot outside when I'm gone. So my only problem now is tracking down the snitch and confronting them. I want them to know that I know who it was, and hopefully put their mind a little more at ease, because they don't know if I called the nice neighbors to keep an eye out or not. I don't know if I can live here knowing someone is watching me that closely. God forbid if they ever see or hear one get disciplined. I do not want another visit from DFACS ever.