As I write today I see a box above blinking "link" and thinking about the little boy in this picture , well he was my link. A link to many years of foster care. His initials are CB and he has a brother Dennis and a younger sister who is now abut seventeen His father's name is Scott. I have a lot to thank him for as my first foster child. This is our story if you've read abut him on my blog. We shared so much and he taught me a lot. Because of him I was able to continue taking chances with kids that some people refused to have in their homes.
I remember a visit we had with his dad who was a soft spoken man who wore a beard, well trimmed, reddish brown hair. He brought this little guy a remote control car. dad remember. We told the father how I picked him up from where he was, how most of his things were stolen and that he left with a huge see though plastic bag filled with water and urine, few clothes, a winter coat that was about five sizes too big, odd socks and a few ripped shirts. Yes, thank you staff. I say staff because they were to check his list of clothing by inspecting what he was leaving with.
As we emptied things out o the living room floor, he just shrugged his shoulders, the palms of his hands pointing toward the ceiling saying over and over, That's not mine. Then he told me about his toys, mainly a remote car his dad made sure he had at that place and a radio. No they weren't in the bag. I asked him to help me just dump it all out in the trash and that we were going out. For this first shopping trip, I knew w K mart would have to do. I could get him everything he needed and some of what he wanted. He was so happy, picking out clothes, hygiene products and sneakers.
Then it was out to lunch/supper. Before we went in he asked, can I get dessert? Sure, you can even get it before supper. He looked at me like I was nuts, but I've done that myself so once won't hurt.
Oh, although he had red hair, his brother did too but it was turning a deeper reddish brown.
After we ate, we went home, talked a little about rules and his family and mine. He was anxious to meet my family and we did. But that day he met up again with his father and his new remote car, he was in heaven, like he was home again. I liked his dad. He had a look of "I'm sorry" on his face . Learning more about how little guy came to be with me, it didn't have anything to do with this childs behavior but mistakes the parents made.
Here is where I learned what people think, well some anyway. In my experiences neighbors right away felt foster kids are bad, that they have to be to be in foster care. Personally my experiences have shown its the parents more than the kids, but many kids end up with sever behavioral problems because they were put in care. Some do have behavioral or medical problems, psychiatric, that parents can't face or handle, so, foster care.
In closing, I'm hoping someone this little guy now about twenty-five, and mostly I hoe he is well and doing great with his own family.
