May is National Foster Care Month, in my search for information I came across the statement “the answer is a parent.” I was struck by this statement for two reasons.
The first, I forget how often I take my own parents for granted. Having two adults who love me and care for me and have done so my entire life is the biggest blessing I could ever ask for. The second, there are many amazing families who choose to be that support system for children who need it.
Among the many things I have had the privilege of experiencing at Rainbows, I have written the stories of families who choose to love and care for children whose biological families cannot as well as children who have received the love of a foster family. A little girl who lived in an abusive home was fostered by a family that is in the process of adopting her. This little girl’s life will be forever changed by the care her new family gives her.
Another family I spoke with has 6 foster children, all with varying special needs. The mother was excited and proud when she talked about each of her children. Jessie and Denise are one of Rainbows’ incredible foster families. Their family consists of three biological children, two adopted, and two foster children. The need for foster families for children with special needs is what drove them to become foster parents, but they are constantly reassured they were meant to be foster parents. “Our aha moments are often as they should be because they are our children,” said Denise.
This month, we celebrate all the awesome foster parents that make the choice to love children who need it. Every child deserves someone to care for them and show them they matter, who should do this? The answer is a parent. To read more about Jessie and Denise’s family click here.
