-I’m on a Discord server composed with people i know since a dozen years. Despite some heavy drama, this is the most perennial community i’ve ever frequented. We care heavily for eachother and they know some thing i never told to my own mother. We were first on a discussion forum then moved to discord when the site linked to the forum died.
-My sister’s friends. She is so close to them that they all became mine.
I have never biologically sired any offspring, but I have over a dozen kids who have looked up to me, who I’ve helped raise, over the years.
Many of them have “outgrew” me and some I’ll never see again, but I don’t think any of them will ever forget me. I certainly won’t forget any of them.
I’m not a teacher or anything like that, I just happened to be in a few right places at a few right times. I’ve had kids call me dad. I’ve had kids tell me they wish I was their dad. I’ve had kids tell me I’d make a good dad. I’ve had kids tell me or their parents they’re completely at odds with whatever their parents say and will only listen to me, and in times like that I’ve had to make some hard calls, basically take them aside and get them to do what their parents ask. I’ve never come between a kid and their parents — while I’m always on the kid’s side, I recognise that the parents have the kid’s best interest in mind. So I help them see that. Unless one of the parents is a complete POS. That’s happened too. Then I just help them see their own value.