Would you recommend being a foster parent?

Answer 1

If you have the space for a child, their own bed and dresser for one. Do you have the time and patience for the emotional problems that often come with the foster children? This is due to the abuse and abandonment they have gone through. Do you have a stable relationship with your spouse? Is there a particular sex, after all too many times there are reports of sexual abuse between a girl and the foster father. These are issues you need to consider prior to taking in an additional child. Are you financially stable?

These children need love, stabiliy, kindness and structure. They need to be taken in as children, and not as farm hands, babysitters and housekeepers.

I speak from years of bad experiences in foster homes. There are many good foster homes, just make sure you want to do it for the right reasons. Then absolutely take in foster children. I've done it. I'm raising a child that isn't a relative. It's time consuming but very rewarding.

Answer 2

I recommend it if you think it it the right thing for you. It is a lot of work, and some children are not loving being in foster care anyways. Pray about it and talk with your family as this can be a trial on your family dynamics, but I do think it is a great thing today as kids of all ages need a place to call home and a family to love them.

Answer 3

I have known families where it has worked out well but it usually messes up their own children. However I have known families where the foster child has been a nightmare and the foster parents have ended up ill from the stress of it so think carefully before proceeding

Answer 4

I would - but make sure that you're doing it for all the right reasons.

Fostering a child is about what you can offer them and not the other way round. A lot of kids who go into foster care have many, many problems so it's wise not to expect anything much from them. Anything you do get will be a bonus and that's how you should see it.

But it's a great thing to do - I wish you luck if you decide to go for it.

Answer 5

My husband and I are foster parents in North Carolina. We have good days and bad days. You need allot of time to devote to these children. For instance we have had two girls for about 7 weeks now and still have trouble with feeding them. They never had a dinner time before and had to walk to a church to get food every night. When you are a foster parent it is like training an infant in a 9 yr olds body. My almost 6 yr old can't read or even tell which shoe goes on which foot and she has a bad speech impedement. So it's allot of work and they usually get sent back to the same hell hole they were taken from. Please only get involved if you have time and allot of patience to devote to these children. Oh and always check for lice when you get them. I made that mistake...... Good luck with your decision.

Answer 6

No one can answer this question for you as only you know how you feel. i work in a home with 2 children who have behavioural problems and they abscond because they dont want to stay here and you have to go looking for them in the middle of the night. they can be a right hand full which is very understandable because of the things they have gone through in their life and their homes with thier parents they need to take thier temper out on someone or something.a girl we have has had 10 foster homes and ended up with us because no one could cope with her. i enjoy my job but there is no way i could become a foster parent because at least i can leave the children at work and have my own time at my home but being a foster carer takes alot of patience and understanding. there is also alot of legal paper work to keep up on. you will also be asked to take your NVQ3 looking after children which is a must now when working with children because of the child protection laws and the does and donts. i hope i havent put you off to much i just thought its not a bed of roses and you deserve to know the truth, if you have the patience and you can give them as much attention as possible go for it hun and good luck x

Answer 7

I would do it yes, because alot of foster homes, and foster parents abuse the child, and I know I could give them a place to be happy. ONLY do it if you know you can give that child happiness...don't take the child in and make it believe that everyone is bad, and there's no safe place to go. So if you can handle it go for it!

Answer 8

yes in some ways it can and will be hard but you are giving a chance to a kid who was brought on the earth whith parent who could not take care of them and you can give them what every kid needs is love and a safe place to live because the kid did not ask for the life style they were handed so i reccomed being a foster parent

Answer 9

my friend is a foster parents and as with most things it has its ups and downs. it depends what sort of person you are and for what reasons you want to have the children. if you are unable to have children it can be the next best thing. however some people do it for financial benefits. but beware most foster children (not their own fault) can behave quite badly. my friends foster child ruined thier bathroom and they have to pay to repair it. i hope this helps.

Answer 10

I would. But it depends on you.

Try to imagine, you are sitting at home planning a night out and you get a call, three children, (whatever ages you specify you will/can take). You say of course and they are brought over, they've been beaten, neglected, maybe sexually abused. They trust no one, least of all YOU.

You get them out of that. Take care of them, feed them, clothe them, get them into school and fall completely in love with them. Then, mom and dad complete whatever they had to, and take them away. Could you handle that?

Or, one of them says you did something. Alot of times kids say that the foster parent did something their parent did, because they are confused and they think you did. Or something you do (hugging them, tucking them into bed, etc.) makes them remember what happened to them and they think you are meaning to be inappropriat. It is hard to get past that, so you always have to be prepared for it.

Maybe you get a little family of kids. You get them healthy, help them learn to love and trust, you teach them and get them developmentally back on track, you might even have them for years, then they are taken to a new foster home. Could you handle that?

There are different forms of foster care. Long term, short term, you can specify you can't take certian ages or kids who have been through certian abuse. But it is always difficult to see them go away. Especially if it's back to the parents who you know won't help them. Maybe the parents really DO deserve them, and resent you for having them.

If those things don't scare you off, then yes! It helps kids, it can save their lives. It can tell them that someone does care for them, when they are sure that nobody does at all. It is wonderful to become a foster parent, but there is nothing wrong with saying "I can't do it" and deciding not to.

Good luck with whatever you choose!