Don't take anything from the neighbors or strangers. 

"You must learn to be content with what you have, no matter how small, and you must avoid taking things from strangers and, if possible, even the neighbors." Tania advised her daughter Sophia

"But mom, not every stranger or neighbor poses a threat to my life or will want to harm me, so how do I know those that will want to harm me?" Sophia asked

"This is why you avoid them all; that does not mean you cut people off; you can have a relationship with people and not take things from them. I hope you understand." Tania asked

"I get you, mom. I will try as much as I can to always follow your advice." Sophia responded as she left the living room for her room.

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Tania, who is a single mom, was raised by strict parents but did not want to raise her daughter the same way, so it was her duty to protect her daughter from harm, ensure her safety, and as well avoid being strict while trying to protect her. Her main aim was to protect Sophia from her father too, who wants custody of the child, but the court declined and let Tania have custody of the child, but he is still fighting and will go to any length to make sure it he is given custody, so it was her priority to keep her daughter close, and her daughter avoiding strangers and neighbors can help her ensure that she is safe.

Being a single mother is really not an easy thing considering that she has to work and look out for her daughter as well, which made it extra difficult for her, but she never for once let her daughter see her struggle to keep up.

"Hey Sophia, I will be going to the market today after work before I pick you up from school. Do me a favor and wait by the bus stop. I will come there and pick you up, and I might be late today, so please bear with me." Tania pleaded

"Mom, for how long am I going to wait so I know if I can really wait?" Sophia asked

"At least 10-15 minutes won't be bad; I will try to beat the time, but if I can't, then you have to wait." Tania said with teary eyes, wishing she had some support system.

"No problem, mom. I will be waiting, but please don't forget to pick me up like you did last week." Sophia teased, but it hurts the mom, even mom.

Like expected, school was dismissed, and while everyone was rushing to meet their parents or board the school bus, Sophia was en route to the bus stop her mom asked her to wait at. She got there and met two other kids from her neighborhood waiting for their mother as well, and the wait was not as boring as she had expected it to be.

"Hey Sophie, I guess your mom will be late too." One of the kids asked as they made space for her to sit.

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"Yup, well, she informed me about it; I just have to wait for at least 30 minutes, and I hope she keeps to time." Sophia responded as she sat down.

It was past 30 minutes, and none of their parents came to pick any of them up. They had to start thinking about ways to get home since their parents must have been too busy with work and might have forgotten to pick them up from school.

"How about we trek home as none of us have any money to pay the bus?" One of the kids suggested

"We are like 30 miles away; are you suggesting that we trek 30 miles?" Sophia asked with a look on her face.

"How about we just board the bus, hoping that when we get home our parents will be there to pay the driver?" The other kid from her neighborhood suggested

While they were still contemplating the other kids, mom drove by. "I am really sorry I am late; I had a lot to do in the office." She said as she opened the door for them

"Sophia, come with us. You can as well stay in our house until your mom returns." The other kids and their mom suggested

"I can't; my mom might not like it." Sophia responded

"Don't worry, I will send her a text letting her know you are safe and with me." The other kid's mom said to get Sophia to follow them home instead of hanging at a bus station.

"Thank you." Sophia said as she hopped into the car with a smile on her face.

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They got home, and as expected Sophia was served food and at first she declined but had to gobble the food fast to avoid her mom walking in on her eating from the neighbors after all her advice to never do such a thing. "Don't gobble your food so fast; you might throw up if you keep gobbling your food so fast." The other kid's mom advised