I really like how the Webster's II New Riverside Dictionary defines 'foster,' because there is a lot of nurturing that goes along with being a foster parent.
There is also a lot of paperwork and meetings that go along with fostering a child, but being a foster parent means providing a child with new opportunities he may not have had without the opportunity of being in foster care.
Being a foster parent means
Mentoring birth family and helping the family reunification process.
Taking a foster child out trick-or-treating for the first time.
Showing a foster child their first fire works on a 4th of July.
Helping a foster child graduate from high school and set a goal to attend college or a vocational school.
Baking a foster child's first birthday cake, even though they're turning eight.
Sharing some summer fun with a child who has never ran through a sprinkler.
Maintaining connections with a past foster child, who is now parenting her own child and doesn't mind you being a grandparent figure.
Encouraging a foster child to rise above the issues of their past and move on with their life.
There are a lot of good things that come along with being a foster parent. What are some of your favorite reasons to continue fostering children?
