Fostering

Just seen the advert on here, about fostering.

Would you consider doing it.
I have known a few people who have done this.
Some have found it to be rewarding, others have found it nothing but trouble.
I think you need bags of patients, and understanding to do this.
Some of these children have had terrible life's, all very sad.

Re: Fostering

I couldn't do it now even if I wanted to, but I think it takes a very special person to consider fostering a child, most especially if they've already had a bad start in life.

Of course, some folk foster for the monetary gain, but that's me being cynical.

I do applause anyone who do this though.

A little story now. A friend who got married two weeks after me in August 1972 at the age of 26 and was four years older than me, found after a couple of years that she couldn't have children because she'd gone through early menopause.

Obviously, she was devastated, as was her husband. They went through a long and difficult time, back in the 80s after hubby came out of the Army, to adopt a child, which was much harder then than I believe it to be now, but eventually they got their baby girl, and a baby boy followed a couple of years later.

I know adoption of a tiny baby is easier to adjust to than fostering or adopting a child of say 5 or 6 years old, but I know I couldn't personally do that, but power to the caring people that can.

Re: Fostering

no never have had enough with my own girls and working
hats of to those who can

Re: Fostering

I wouldn't consider it now I am too old and have enough with three baby grandchildren.

After my husband died I took part in the voluntary relief parent scheme and had severely disabled children at the weekends to give their parents a break. I found it very rewarding . At the time I seriously considered fostering but decided as a widowed single parent it might not be in the best interests of my son who was only 6.

Re: Fostering

As well as adopting two lads with special needs in the 80s we also fostered a boy with Down's Syndrome. He was 16 when he joined our family and stayed for nine years, he is about 44 now, but we lost touch after he moved out.

If I had my life to go over again, I would certainly have adopted our younger son (27) who has Down's Syndrome. However the older adopted son and the foster son, were a challenge, to put it mildly, and I wouldn't have taken them into our family if I had known then what I know now.

Re: Fostering

I think if we had not been lucky enough to have children of our own we would definitely have wanted to foster, but preferably adopt. I think with fostering it would make it easier to have had the experience of having your own childen first. I also think that because foster children often still have contact with their parents I might find certain situations difficult to handle

Re: Fostering

We had three birth daughters before we adopted the boys.

Re: Fostering

I admire the people who foster children, these children are given what a lot of them have missed out on ...... a normal family life.

Re: Fostering

I was fostered for a year until the courts were satisfied my mum would have support when my paraplegic died as it was inevitable 44yrs ago that the life span of one was only about 5yrs. They did grant adoption and the rest is history Fosterers come in all sorts of guises and types and ive always believed its whats inside that counts and makes them ideal.