What bothers me too, are his parents thinking that Shawn can make all his own decisions. They don't even know all he's been thru. He's still 15, and needs the guidance of his parents. He needs protection, so he doesn't do things now that hurt him even more years down the road.
They can't be leaving everything up to him right now.
I told a friend that I was amazed how both parents reacted. There must be some guidance on this because both sets let the child be "comfortable" at home. Shawn's parents told how they were in another room listening to him visit with others and how he would say he remembered.
The other family allowed Ben to go to his room and play video games.
I would have the kid in my room either sleeping on my bed, or I would be in their room sleeping on the floor.
I know that some of the problems Steven Stayner relayed working through is his parents treating him like he was still 7. They hadn't progressed while he had.