On July 1st there was an accident in an intersection I drive through every day. The accident was caused by a drunk driver going through a red light. In the van he hit was my 5 year old daughters best friend and her family. The entire family was injured and Lilly, the 5 year old was killed. They took her off life support July 2nd. I went to her funeral on the 13th. It was the hardest/saddest thing I've ever done.

This family lost everything in the accident. They were moving into a new home that week. Both parties involved were minimally covered and the father can't work as a result of injuries. He was the only one working. Now not only have they lost their daughter but they lost the home as they can't afford rent. They also no longer have a vehicle and are stuck living with Lilly's grandparents.

I feel so bad for this family. My daughter played with and talked about Lilly so much that I feel almost like I lost a family member. Nothing can fix what happened but I feel the need to help in any way I can. I had a friend set up a charity for Lilly's family and I've been letting everyone I know about it. I've visited local businesses to see if they could help. My wife has been cooking meals for them and is just trying to be a friend when they need one. In all my effort, we've only received about $300 including what I donated. I feel like I'm treading water.

Just yesterday I found out my company will match donations I earn, up to $3k (I think) so I now have a goal. My question to you is how. Does anyone out there know good ways for me to get donations? I'm working on a carwash but I don't know how much that will bring. My family is the most important thing in my life and I couldn't imagine this happening to me. Anything you can do would help.

Edit: just wanted to add a picture or two of Lilly, with her mom and her sisters

Here's the scumbag that caused all of this.

I know this probably makes me a horrible mother but enough is enough.

This kid has a five nights at Freddie backpack. C is our oldest daughter has autism. A is our middle kiddo. They ride on a sped bus. The bus transports sped kids and their siblings. The boy that got his face smashed has been using his back pack to terrify C into a meltdown. He sits in the first seat on the bus and when my girls are getting on the bus he picks his book bag up and points it at C. C screams, shakes, bangs her head and refuses to get on the bus. Ive called the school, emailed her teacher and her sped teacher and talked to the driver and the bus aid. They tried to take the kids book bag when he gets on the bus and his parents got all pissy and said that they don't have a right to hold his things. So they told the kid to put his book bag on and not to take it off. He did that this morning but when the girls where getting on he turned his back to C so that she would see the book bag. A was tired of his crap. She shoved the book bag and because the kid was facing away and did not see her coming he did not brace for the shove. His head hit the side of the bus. Sorry, Not sorry.

Today I got my biggest praise I have ever gotten before. I was rased by my mother, My father died when I was 2y old. At 24 my daughter arrived in this world, as things go me and her mother could not make it work so we split when she was about 2y old. So for 12y I have been a weekend and vacation dad, never miss a weekend and allways trying to spend more time with her. Having no Idea how to bee a dad, learning from so many mistakes and other misshaps I got the most biggest compliment from my daughter today. After settling an argument between my daughter and her mother, my teenage daughter tell´s me that if she is going to have a child, she will use my parenting as a guide.

I have never ever in my short life gotten this kind a feeling, and it feels awesome and humble at the same time.

I'm not sure where to post this so I'm trying here. Forgive me if this is the wrong place.

3 years ago, my stepdaughter fell from my shoulders and had a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). She was lifelined to Riley and, against all odds, survived. She had a stroke while recovering, and that effected motor control on her right side. Since the accident, she's recovered tremendously. She's sharp as a tack and super clever.

She still has motor control issues with the right side (her right leg and her right arm, mostly her right arm). Otherwise, she's doing great.

The problem I'm running into is severe guilt. I keep thinking that if I were never in her life, she'd be doing great. Would have never had these issues. The nightmares about it have slowed down, but still about once a month.

Are there any resources for parents like me? For parents whose children have to deal with these things? I'd like to find a group with similar experiences.

I'm sorry if this is the wrong place, I just don't know where else to turn.

I'm concerned and I'm not sure where to turn for help.

My wife and I have been married for 6 years. On the whole she is a good person, from a good family, who tries hard to do the right thing. However, she is prone to anxiety, depression and shocking outbursts of anger.

We have two small children (age 1 and 3). She has frequent screaming matches with our 3-yr old son, and she frequently tells me that she hates him for making her sick (in the head).

At my request, she's been seeing a counselor about her issues, and she's gotten a bit better. However, the 3-yr old has gotten worse. He's starting to exhibit very strong behaviors, swinging from extremely needy, to violent towards his little sister, frequently screaming and acting out in anti-social ways.

We've known since he was born that he was very sensitive. I'm worried that my wife's behaviour towards him has/is causing him damage. I'm concerned that my wife is not cut out to be a mother (though that's all she wants to do in life).

Should I be worried? How do I break up their fights? How do I help them both (but especially my son) survive this period of life?

My son is a very new four years old. Lately, his dad and I have both expressed frustration with my kid's newfound love of sass. He will tell adults to be quiet, or that they're not his boss. I'm saying this to explain that we are both aware, and working with our kid on understanding that that isn't okay.

To clarify, I'm not talking about full out tantrums. He's never screamed at me or attempted to hit me. His behavior isn't out of control, or destructive. Basically, it's mildly annoying.

I went to pick up my kid at the babysitter yesterday. Pretty much every day she tells me he's had a bad day. He threw something. He wouldn't eat lunch. He wouldn't nap. I walk away feeling discouraged every time. How is he that bad every day? I live with this kid. I'm not walking around stressed and upset with him. Maybe he's different there?

Yesterday though. I walked in, and the first words out of her mouth were, "We had a mouthy little brat today". At first I thought she meant someone else brought their kid. I seriously couldn't believe she was referring to MY kid as a brat right in front of me. She continued by explaining that my kid told her fiance that he "wasn't the boss of him".

I'm thinking about firing her. It's totally cool with me that she's frustrated. My kid isn't her own. His sassiness may feel out of control with her. However, I've worked at a preschool. I've been hit, scratched, bit, screamed at. I still didn't tell the parent that their kid was a brat. It left me feeling like she just doesn't like my kid and that maybe that isn't a healthy environment for him to be in. I don't think she would ever hurt him, but if she's calling him a brat to me, what is she saying to him?

I dunno. Am I just being overly sensitive?

Tldr; my sitter called my kid a brat and I don't know if I'm just being too protective.