Sounds like a real dead beat mother. Where do you fit into the picture. Are you the dad to the kids or what? To me sounds like you really do have your hands full if the one is 6 and acting out like that. Have you thought about councilling for both kids? It may help and it may not, but its worth a try. Before separating them and putting them through that trauma. As far as my situation its on paper if my sister can't handle both kids one of my other sisters or my brother will take one of them. Anyway you look at it they might be separated in who's taking care of them but they wont be separated outside the family.

The youngest one has been in counseling for over two years now, and the older one is starting next week.