[Whit]

      Speaking from my own experience, raising a kid is easy. You just have to remember that kids learn by example. No matter what you tell them they'll base their own choices off the examples of your action. For me what has been really amazing is the boy. As I'm not his father by blood and he had several bad examples he had been following before I was in his life. Since I've been in his life more and more he's begun following mine. The change is amazing.
      On a related note, the Santa thing is easy, a footnote really. When it gets tough is when a kid you have no rights to (because he's technically not yours) starts asking to be allowed to move in with you. His mom doesn't know he's talking asking about it, that's a landmine I'm waiting to have go boom on me.