"Is my family prepared for this?" is one of the most burning questions when it comes to foster parenting.
The real truth is, are you ever truly prepared? Life is a curveball each and every day, if you keep pushing away your future in an attempt of being prepared, you will miss out on the beautiful parts of life.
Fostering is not an interruption of your daily life, it is a beautiful opportunity for growth, healing, and will have a generational impact. A child's life begins with the parents and the support system they are given, and there is nothing more beautiful than giving a child that support system.
Fostering will change your life, and that is exactly why you should become a foster parent.
In any sense of the word, parenting is a massive learning curve. Each day as a parent, you will learn a new lesson on how to improve, how to teach your child the lessons they need to thrive.
As a foster parent, you will receive trauma-informed care, which allows you to look at the world in a different way. You will have increased empathy and compassion for the child in your home, and you will look at the world and the people around you differently once you have an understanding of what they could be going through, or what they have went through.
These values that you learn through foster parenting will be passed down to the children that you foster, teaching them how to open their heart to the people around them, and to show compassion for other people.
Parenting is a difficult, beautiful journey. A lot of people will say all of the downsides of foster parenting, however many foster parents will disagree, and say that every difficulty is worth it to see a thriving child.
One of our Lifespan Foster Parents stated, "Foster Care is challenging, and emotional. But it's SO incredibly worth it. Every day. There are so many children in foster care. Sweet kids that just need someone to help them and give them a place to call home, even for a short time. If you've ever considered or are currently considering foster care, reach out and get some information. This agency has made the process so easy and they have been here to support us every step of the way.”
These children are given a second chance because someone like you gave them a place to call home.
"Will it hurt my biological children if I become a foster parent?"
One of the biggest concerns for any parent who is considering opening their home to a foster child is what effect it will have on their children.
Nothing is more important than communicating with your family, and your children about the journey that you are thinking of embarking on. Discuss the benefits and the effects that foster parenting could have on your family realistically.
In a lot of foster families that had biological children, we have seen a lot of positive effects. Fostering is an eye-opening experience for children, as they learn about what life is like for someone who was less fortunate. This can help them build empathy skills, become more responsible, mature, and resilient.
A lot of children who have grown up in a family with foster children are a lot more grateful for their upbringing, as they have seen first hand the effects that a rough upbringing can do to a child.
Opening your home to someone new is never easy. Your schedule will change, you will have more appointments, caseworkers in and out of your home, and a new routine will need to be established.
Despite this, you are never alone in the process! Lifespan is here every step of the way to assist you in learning how to parent a new child. The main goal of the time after a placement is to find a new normal. Normal doesn't mean perfect, it means creating a home where a child can feel safe and thrive.
Over time, many of our foster parents have told us they didn’t expect these parts of the journey — but ended up loving them:
This new normal might feel overwhelming at first — but we promise, it can also be one of the most rewarding transitions you’ll ever make.
Trauma can last a lifetime for a child, but with a positive support system and a loving home, the trajectory of a child's life could change. Generational trauma is real, and by breaking the cycle with a foster child, you might change the life of generations to come.
Even a temporary placement can leave a lifelong impression, as sometimes a temporary placement could be the most love that a child has ever felt before, or their first time experiencing what most children would take for granted.
You don't have to foster a child forever to make a difference in their life. Compassion, empathy, and support is what these children need more than anything.
“As former adoptive parents and current foster parents, Lifespan helped our dreams come true! We always wanted a family but were unable to do so on our own. We have fostered and helped families reunify, and we have also gotten the biggest blessing of our life when we got to adopt our first son. We still continue to give children a safe place to call home and can’t wait to expand our family once more."
"Our favorite part of fostering has been watching our foster daughter thrive in a safe and loving home. We get to stand in the gap for a child in need, which is priceless.”
“Have patience. Sometimes it will take awhile to happen, then when you lease expect it, you will get the call. The first month can be easy and the honeymoon stage or it can be hard as the child adjusts. Just have patience. These kids are worth it.”
Every story, and every family is unique. Whether you are single, divorced, a married couple, grandparents or parents, you can expand your home and build your own legacy.
Foster parenting is not about being perfect, it's about being present. Fostering changes your home, your heart, and the legacy that you will leave behind.
Start your journey today, and foster with Lifespan Family Services.
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