The alarm in our house goes off between 4:45 and 5 a.m.
Pushing the snooze for a few extra Z’s only happens if the baby is dry, and I have food handy. We have three foster children: an 18-month-old baby girl, and two boys both age 8. And since we are mentioning age, I will only state that I was around when Ike was President.
During the school year, we are all up and out of the house by 6:50 a.m. One of our foster sons goes to school 20 miles away (to ensure that he does not have to change schools), and our other foster son goes to school here in our town. We try to have everyone delivered to their school or day care by 8 a.m. The original plan was that I would then be able to go to the Y and work off some weight and stress. However, I have found that a nap works better.
After school, the boys do their homework, if they have any. If not, they read a book to me while I make dinner. One of them recently thought if he read me a cookbook, dinner would be edible. Thank goodness for complete meals in a box!
We really can’t imagine life without caring for foster children. They come to us from various backgrounds, communities and family structures. While I have my way of running my home, I also have to consider the fact that they come from families with their own traditions and rituals. I meet with the children’s families as soon as their children are placed in my home so that I know what their rituals are. I want the children to feel comfortable and familiar. These children are taken from their homes and placed into the home of a stranger. They are scared, worried, anxious and fearful of what the future will bring.
The first thing children need to know is that you will do your best to protect, guide, feed, house and clothe them. Safety, security and trust are of the utmost concern to children. They also need to know that they will see their family, and that I will not judge their family. I make sure that I talk to their family as often as possible, and I encourage them to talk to their families whenever they want. The better relationship I have with the families of the children in my care, the better everything goes.
Some days are easy; some days are not. Maintaining a sense of humor helps me make it through the hard and difficult times. The staff you work with are supportive and help give you a different outlook when you feel you have run out of answers.
In later years, a child or a family that you felt you just didn’t impact will call you and tell you how grateful they are that you took the time and effort to share your life and home with them. This is what makes this type of work the most exciting and rewarding job on earth.