People frequently refer to MAPs as predators, as if we stalk the street for kids, leering at them from a blacked-out van. Quite the opposite, we are often 'targeted' by boys... not for sex but for attention, activities, platonic love, or merely a comfortable place to hang out.

Having moved to this town only recently, I already have a YF who will not stop 'bothering' me. If I go out somewhere, it won't be long before he's back at my door. He enjoys outdoor activities as well as screen-based ones, and if I should look away while he's doing anything at all, my attention will quickly be demanded. He's also brought friends and relatives to my place, and I foresee quite the expansion of this little circle.

My online detractors would no doubt be horrified by such a reality, as if I have nothing but sinister intentions. And they are absolute cunts in that regard, because I love nothing more than raising boys and doing Dad stuff with them, even if sex is completely off the table.

Can you imagine being a boy who needs attention from an adult? Perhaps your parents are too busy or don't have the energy to play with you, especially in a poorer country where they need to work endlessly to make ends meet. And then a BL rocks up, one who dotes on you and doesn't demand anything in return. It's absolutely amazing for the boys and their parents, and most likely the reason why nature selects for a certain number of people to be MAPs.

It isn't paradise; having kids constantly demand your attention can be quite tiring. But if you're a MAP, you shouldn't have it any other way.

Do you need help making a young friend? Check out the guide on Mu's MAP Forum.