Thoughts on Foster Care (from a 5 and 7 year old)

The other day I sat my girls down to ask them a few questions about foster care to see how much they understand about what we’re doing and to get more of a idea about how they feel about it. I loved hearing what they had to say and I typed furiously while they were talking in hopes to catch every word.

What is foster care?

Paige ( 7 1/2): Foster care is when mom and dads cannot take care of their children because they are not taking care of them the way they should. Then the foster children have to go to a new house that does not have children that are in the foster care because if they go to a family that have children in the foster care then those families will not be able to take care of those other kids that were given to them in the foster care because they’re gonna be exactly how they were to their other kids that were in foster care so they have to learn how to take care of their kids and then they can be foster parents but first the foster kids that were given to them should go to parents that know how to take care of kids better. And then when the foster kids real parents are done being trained, then if they’re still bad then the foster parents that are taking care of them will adopt them and if they are not bad and ready to take care of their kids then they can take them and keep them forever, unless they get bad again.

Raegan (5 1/2): It’s a place for kids where they find somewhere to live without their mom and dad. They might miss them but they will have a very nice mom. They might call her mom for awhile but they will have a very nice evening with them and they might get adopted or they will go back to their mom and dad OR when they live in, like I forget what it’s called, when they wait for somebody to bring them home with them well, um – can you spell eh, eh, eh [clearing her throat]. Okay. But they will go back someday, they will have a family to care for them. And they will love their new mom but if they don’t stay with them then it means they can keep their little childs forever.

Why does our family foster?

Paige: Because we want to help the kids that are in the process of being in foster care and we also want to help them because that is what God and Jesus told us to do and the Holy Spirit told us to do. But it was very hard for us because my parents already had 3 kids of their own – me, my brother and my sister and then we added 2 more and then we got their sister and now we have 3 foster kids so that would make 6 kids and its real hard. The end.

Raegan: Because Jesus told us and we wanted to follow His rules because that’s what we’re supposed to do.

Are you glad that we foster?
Paige: Yes, I’m glad because I have more people to play with and more options of people to play house with or explore in our backyard.

Raegan: Yes!! Because I love the baby!

Why do you think more people don’t foster?

Paige: Because most people don’t do it because that wasn’t God’s plan for them. They probably have another thing that they’re doing that is God’s plan.

Raegan: Well, because that’s not Jesus’s plan for them and they know that Jesus is not asking them to do that.

If someone felt like God was telling them to foster, what would you tell them?

Paige: I would tell them that if God is calling them to do this, then do it but they don’t need to do if they want to do it, God might have another plan for them and they’ll be too busy that they’ll find that they cannot do it all.

Raegan: That you have to do it right now!

Do you think you will foster someday?

Paige: Well, I don’t really know because I just have to follow what God says but I’d love to foster. It would be fun. There is a lot of stuff and a lot of kids who are suggesting what stuff they could do so I think that would be nice.

Raegan: Yes I will. I would love to because they’re cute and because I would love them!” (At this point, Paige piped in with “What if they’re not cute?” which completely unfazed Raegan who said, “Kids are always cute!”)

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Hi, I’m Jami! I love Jesus, and I just want to know Him more! I have been married to my man Clint for 10 years, and we are both passionate about foster care and adoption. Currently, we have six kids in our home (ages 7 and under!)–two daughters by birth, our son who we adopted from Guatemala, and three more we are fostering. Though I am always behind on laundry and sometimes feel like one more dirty diaper may just do me in, I receive exponentially more hugs and kisses too. How can one argue with that?! I love connecting with other women especially if a cup of coffee with whipped cream is in hand! I also do that through my blog and when I’m speaking to women’s groups or at orphan care events. My heart is to be a voice for the voiceless and mobilize those around me to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the world. Life is abundant and God is faithful!