Foster parents
 

Has anyone ever fostered a child? We are considering doing this and someoen is coming out to our house in a few hours with the hopes of placing a child this week! Any advice?

I've mentioned to my DH that I would like to do this, since we married late and don't have kids. I also teach, and I have seen my share of foster kids... I think we could offer a stable loving home. He's not sold, but I think it could be very rewarding.

Sorry I don't have any advice, but I'd love to hear more about your experience.

My hubby and I are actually going through the process, all we have left is the home visit and the classes. But we already kinda foster one boy. We get him every other weekend. It is such a nice experience, but from what I have heard it can be very stressful. Good luck to you!

I was a foster child for 3 and 1/2 years. I was a teenager at the time, and I saw lots of kids in the system, all ages. It's tough work!
I was the "easy child", I came from an abusive home and just needed a safe place to finish growing up. But my foster parents didn't understand much about my abuse and didn't really try. They pretty much just let me be cause I was the easy one. So in turn I didn't deal with my abuse and, emotionally, I was stunted further.

The best advice I can give is listen and talk with these kids, don't just leave it for the therapists and social services. Go to as many parenting classes as you can and keep going, you always learn something new and each child is different! Most of these kids are emotionally scarred, find out as much as you can to help heal them. Even if it's only a temp. placement!

One of my best friends and her DH couldn't have kids, so they fostered. They took babies at first, I think they took a lot over a couple years, usually for just a little while at a time, then a couple toddlers needed homes, and one thing led to another. They ended up formally adopting 3 of the little boys they fostered, and are happy to be parents. It's not easy, one kid was just diagnosed with autism (mild but still) and one has PTSD from his home life before (how sad is that in a 6 year old). The third kid tests at an almost genius level, so they got all kinds:) They also tried to adopt a little girl, but the judge gave her back to her mother, after she had lived most of life with my friends. That was hard. But they find it so rewarding and it is so needed. Good luck.

Maggie

Angie and I are legal guardians of my nephew...have been for 6+ years...we began as foster parents for him....he thanks me often for giving him a "new chance".....bless you for thinking about giving some child a "new chance on life!"...Bless you!!......Gary

I, too, considered fostering a child but the time was not right. I do think it takes a very special person/family to be an effective foster parent and I bless you for taking this on. I still think about it at times...

I am a teacher and have seen a lot of foster kids go through the school...most of them are really good kids that simply need someone to believe in them.

My cousin was a fp for a while and her experience was mostly good - one word of caution, though, apparently (depending on how desperate the agency is) sometimes as a fp you are not told everything that you need to know about the child....this is probably most important when dealing with an adolescent, but still.

Good luck! There is a special place in heaven for people like you! Let us know how it goes.