Does this story make you want to consider adopting or fostering an older child?

His name was Christian. He was 9, and in a special education school. He had major anger problems, and was living in a horrible foster home. He had been in foster care ever since he was 18 months old. Well, these people at my church decided they wanted to foster a child. They have 4 children of there own( biological). 3 boys, and 1 girl. They decided to foster another boy because they thought it would be easier for the boy. Well, they got Christian. With in a month of them fostering him, he was out of the special education school and into a public school in a special education class. He did so good there that he will now be in a normal class next year :) He doesnt need counsleing any more. The old foster care people considered this boy horrible, one that no one should have. But the people at my church showed Christian love, and now he is 10 and a very happy boy whos adopton will be finalized very soon. Now the people at my church are going to start fostering his older brother too..........Doesnt this story make you want to foster a child? for me it does, ( when i am older). :)

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"He doesnt need counsleing any more".

Bull. My story's a little similar to Christian's. I was nearly 8 when I was taken out of my parents care and their rights were terminated not long after. My adoption was finalized a little after I turned 10 with the absolutely amazing parents I live with now. And I guarantee, it took *far longer* than a year for me to be "happy".

I think you've conveniently skipped a few details in your story. Did Christian just magically turn into a lovely little boy with no issues as soon as he was with this couple? I doubt it. I certainly didn't. I'm 16 now and I've just *barely* began feeling like I'm really moving on. I stopped counselling last year, as opposed to a year after I moved in with my a-parents. When I was first fostered I was an angry and distrustful kid. I didn't let any adult near me, I screamed, I threw things, I hit... It's not just about showing love, it's about being there through the nightmares; holding them close when they want to hurt people because they've been hurt themselves; telling them everything's going to be okay, and that they're safe now... You seem to have missed a few bits out.

But as for the actual question, no that story doesn't make me want to considering fostering/adopting an older child. My own experience did that. I was one of the lucky ones who found some truly special parents and I'd love to be able to help the kids who *really* need families as opposed to hunting a womb-wet baby.

Bryan

it does not make me want to adopt an older child.

Tarra

No, I would adopt from foster care ANYWAY, and i'll tell you why.

I grew up in foster care and am about to be emancipated. Stories like this are few and far between. It's touching yes. But contrary to a few others opinion, Foster care helps tens of thousands of kids every single year. Normal everyday kids! Not all kids in foster care are crisis cases and FEW foster parents are "bad". Yes, many kids require on-going counseling. This isn't a BAD thing! In fact, I bet many so-called "normal kids" would benefit from counseling too. Yes, there are some foster parents that spoil the image and I hate them just as much as anyone would. But unfortunately, you don't hear about the good stories about foster care. Would anyone care? I hardly think so. People like to read about the horror and tragedy and think, "oh the poor children", maybe donate a few dollars to some program to make themselves feel caring, and move on.

So here's the problem as I see it.

Most people AVOID looking at foster care or are SCARED to dead about kids in foster care -- because it's "Foster care" as it's been reported by the media and others. People see the words "foster child", and they don't think normal everyday kid who's PARENTS had problems. They immediately think of abuse, assault, neglect, emotionally unstable, and even dangerous. Which is completely unfair. Kids in foster care didn't do ANYTHING to deserve such an ugly description of themselves. We didn't do ANYTHING wrong! I personally would rather be known as just Tara, and not "our foster child". Ya know?

Allanas

You glossed over the hard parts.

Before Christian went from "horrible" to a model citizen...he had tantrums. Nightmares. He screamed, broke stuff and said swore like a drunken sailor. He hit, or at least struck out at his saintly foster parents. His foster siblings learned quite a few bad habits from the little angel puff.

Sure, it's great. I believe in the power of love...

Just take of the rose colored glasses before you run out with your saving stick whacking around with things you don't understand.

sweetielovebear1

They are one of the lucky ones, that have a good story that came from it. Foster kids have all kinds of problems and come from all kinds of backgrounds. Some children are there because something the parents did, not the child, on the other hand, some children are there because of things they did. Fostering child can be wonderful, but it has its ups and downs.

GEEGEE

This is a wonderful outcome for this child but I am certain there was much, much, much pain for all involved in his new home before this "miracle" came to be. It takes special people with a dedication I don't think I have, to make something like this happen, so no, I would not in reality consider adopting most any child from foster care.

Army Wife *pregnant with #1*

no because most stories about fostering older children arent that happy.

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