What is Foster Parenting?

unsplash.com @daiga_ellaby

If you’ve had the chance to take a look at my bio, you’ll know that I’m a foster parent. In fact, this year I got my 5 year certificate as a foster parent. As a result I’ve had to explain several times what foster parenting is to a large number of different people.

In the simplest terms: Foster Care is for kids who can’t stay with their biological parents for any reason. Foster Partents take care of these kids in the hope that they will be able to return home to their parents or another relative.

How this relates to other positions is a bit trickier. I’ve had people refer to it as a job - it isn’t because I don’t get paid. The agency in my area does an excellent job trying to make sure that foster parents aren’t out of pocket for children’s expenses but it doesn’t cover everything - especially the non-tangential costs like lost work time. I also have a problem calling it a volunteer position. Yes, I do it voluntarily; but I don’t show up for a shift for 2-8 hours and then go home. It is all day every day for years. My life is built around being able to provide care to the kids who come into my home.

Philosophically, I am a parent. When I am needed. When I am not, I step aside. I do my best for kids who haven’t had easy times. It is an important part of my identity that ever foster parent experiences differently.