On page 36 of The Other Wes Moore, we learn that Wes’s mother slept in the living room to protect the kids from a possible intruder. What other things did she do to protect her children?

Mary tries to protect Wes from himself and the criminal lifestyle into which he's fallen. It's too late for Tony, Wes's older bother, but Mary tenaciously holds on to the belief that Wes's life can still be turned around. In reality, however, Wes is slipping further and further into a life of crime. He's no longer just working as a lookout; now he's a fully-fledged drug dealer, hoping to emulate his brother's lavish lifestyle.
Although Mary can't physically stop Wes from selling drugs, she can still try and protect him from himself. She does this by flushing his stash down the toilet. It's a desperate measure, and ultimately it doesn't change Wes's ways, but it shows the lengths to which Mary's prepared to go to protect her son.