Weekend Parenting - Foster Children Who Visit You Periodically
I’ve always wanted to take in a foster child. There’s just a part of me that can’t stomach knowing that there are kids out there that yearn for a mommy and a daddy and can’t have one. I can only imagine what it must be like to have no one out there that really loves you.
When my kids get a boo boo or have to deal with a bully, they come tell me and while I can’t fix it I can listen and care. These children have no one to listen and no one to care. While the home takes care of their physical needs, there is nothing in place to minister to these kids’ emotional needs.
Of course, I have 4 children now and we never have enough time or money to go through the month, so bringing in a child full-time would not be responsible for us. However, I’d love to take in a foster child on weekends.
Please let me know what you think about the program. Some have said it does more harm than good by pointing out what the kids are missing. However, maybe that’s actually a good idea. At 18 these children are given less than a hundred dollars and told not to come back. Many turn to prostitution or drugs because they don’t know what else to do.
We took an interest in a 18 year old boy like this when we lived in Savannah. He came to our church for a time and we spent a considerable amount of time trying to show him that he was valuable. However, one day we got a call from this young man and he let us know he was at a truck stop and was hitching out of town to see his sister (a drug addict) 10 states away. My husband frantically tried to get to where he was to stop him (he had gotten to Savannah by hitching through truck stops in exchange for sex). However, he had been gone minutes when James got there. We never saw this young man again (8 years ago).
I can’t help but think there is something I can do to help these kids, but other than this program, it feels like the problem is too big. And, there are so many things that are just as worthy to focus on, but everytime I think of these kids I want to cry.
Tags: Child health, Internet Mommy, ParentingRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Child health, Internet Mommy, Mothering, Parenting
1 opinion for Weekend Parenting - Foster Children Who Visit You Periodically
Karen
Nov 19, 2006 at 10:40 pm
Definitely a worthy cause! My husband and I have talked about foster parenting and adoption. We have two biological children of our own, but there is a possibility that we could adopt someday when our kids are older. There is a hurting world out there that needs our (as in you, me, and everyone’s) help. This is a huge problem that can’t be solved with one person, but we need to quit turning our heads and pretending that this stuff doesn’t exist. If we can’t financially help out, then we can at least pray for these children. As you said, many times they turn to a bad lifestyle because they don’t know what else to do.
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