..Exploring Boundaries...

I've been taking care of Alex for about six months now. We don't have a label for our dynamic, but it feels like more than just a caretaker relationship. I cook his meals, help him with his homework, and sometimes even tuck him in at night. It's kind of funny how much he needs me...sometimes I feel like a parental figure without any official title. Yesterday was wild though. We had an unexpected visit from one of Alex’s friends who teased him about acting all helpless. That really got under his skin and we ended up having this intense, emotional talk where I kind of took on the role of being stern but also understanding. It felt like a pivotal moment...we explored some playful disciplinary boundaries which included me using a specific toy to show he’d crossed a line. I’m still processing everything that happened though. Is it normal to feel so excited and apprehensive about our unconventional dynamic? Any advice for moving forward would be appreciated....