Episode #179 Foster A Child

Seven Problems

• The most common phrases that foster parents hear are “I could never do that” and “I have always wanted to do that.”
• The experience of fostering a child is rewarding, but it is never easy.
• Only about 5% of former foster children complete a college degree.
• Fostering a child has the potential to be a lonely and isolating experience.
• It is far easier to empathize with people in need than to actually help people in need.
• Some children grow up believing that life is all about them, and other children have quite the opposite experience.
• Every deep and meaningful relationship with another human being has the potential to break our hearts.

Five Principles

• We can love and support foster children even if we are not foster parents ourselves.
• Even seemingly small decisions can have significant impacts.
• The foster care system often introduces us to the world we never knew existed in our own backyard.
• Every single human being is equally capable of choosing their way into difficulty.
• We never know which seeds we plant today will finally blossom years in the future.

Five Practices

• Only pursue a foster care placement if you are prepared to make a commitment that is both lengthier and more difficult than you expect.
• Before beginning your own foster care journey, dip your toe in the water by bringing a pizza to a foster family.
• If you aren’t quite ready to become a foster parent, consider obtaining your license to provide short term respite care for other foster families.
• When you are tempted to take things personally, remind yourself of the reality that “hurt people hurt people.”
• Identify your fears with the question, “What am I afraid of?”, and incriminate them with the question, “Should I be afraid?”