"But How Will It Affect My Kids?": Foster Care
“But how will it affect my kids?”
It’s a question I’m asked almost weekly about being a foster family.
While I can’t speak for everyone, I can tell you how it’s affected mine:
It’s made them more empathetic.
It’s made them more quick to help.
It’s taught them how to love unconditionally.
It’s helped them understand that siblings don’t have to come from mommy’s belly to be family.
It’s taught them that families don’t have to look alike.
It’s opened their eyes and hearts to loving new brothers and sisters, if only for a season.
It’s made them more apt to share their toys.
It’s not stopped them from fighting over who gets to hold the baby, or sing to him when he cries, or tell him how loved he is.
It’s taught them to pray for people that others might say are unworthy of that prayer.
And, as a parent, it’s brought me gigantic, indescribable pride to watch them welcome new children into our home with loving arms.
“Can he sleep in my bed!?”
“Can he be our baby forever!?”
“He can play with my race car!”
Foster care can be scary. There are a million reasons to say no. But there are just as many reasons -- if not more -- to say yes.