Fostering isn't all Sunshine and Roses

by Mary
(Austin, TX)

I once fostered a sibling group who had previously been split up into other foster homes - so they didn't know each other.

These kids had all been abused and neglected and so since they seemed to think that it was the right thing to do, they abused each other, the pets, the neighborhood kids.

Because they were neglected, they learned to steal (it was the only way they could get food in their original home).

Yes, these kids desperately needed love and safety. But they also needed extremely competent mental health services. They had been abused and they had lost everything they've ever known - including their parents.

In my experience, as a foster parent for 20 years, these children can be incredibly destructive to a home, a marriage, and a family.

Foster parents aren't seen as the hero by these kids. To these kids, foster parents are the bad guys until proven otherwise.

Potential foster parents need to know that it isn't all sunshine and roses. They need to be prepared. Don't get me wrong, there are many good times as well.

I have many good and fun experiences that I would like to share with you in the future.