Readers Respond: My Interest in Foster Care and Adoption Began When...

We all have our motivations to take action and when it comes to becoming a foster or an adoptive parent, the reasons are varied. I've heard them all, "We knew a child in church," "We feel we have been called by God," "We have so much love to give."

Take a moment and share your reason. What motivated you to become a foster parent or an adoptive parent?

Finish this sentence: "My interest in foster care and adoption began when..." Share Your Story

Doesn't Seem Fair

Why should I have kids when I can adopt a child that needs a loving parent. I'm not talking about 4 or 5 year olds. I'm talking about the older generation. When is a kid too old for the love of a parent? Never! Heck I still feel like I need my parents! Those kids who feel like they are too old to be wanted lose hope. I'm going to prove a boy or girl wrong one day. 10? 12? 15? Doesn't matter. Age isn't going to stop me from being their parent. I'm going to do my best for them.

—Guest Mya

Adoption

My friend from across the street adopted two kids. I think it's nice of her and I think it's a good idea experience to help a kid who needs help in every area of her or his life....

—Guest daisy e murillo

I always had questions

I'm interested in foster care. When I get older I'm gonna get me a foster child. i've always wanted one because I've always had different questions about the system. To me foster children are regular kids just needing extra attention and to be loved and taken care of. When I graduate from high school and open up my shop I'm gonna get me 2 foster children!!

—Guest a.austin

Resource Parent

We became empty nesters in May of 08. Being older, we didn't know if adoption was an option for us, and fostering was the only way we could get to that point in KS by taking the PS-MAPP course. We learned that we were to ask lots of questions, approach the agency we work with until we get answers, solutions to rectify the problems that come in caring for these broken blessings in our lives. It was a horrible experience for us in many ways, but we also know that we did make a difference in the children's lives in good positive structure, something most of them need anyway. We had to ask for the last child to be removed and placed elsewhere, sad to let go after several months, but he was bigger, and aggressive to the point we were fearful of him at times. There are so many broken kids out there, broken families, sibling groups, and that was our original desire. We know that many kids of one family are broken up because people can't take them all. We wanted to. It didn't happen!

—Guest Melody

It's been a long time coming

I was probably about 9 when I realized my childhood wasn't normal. Until that point I thought all dad's were on drugs and all mom's were "sad a lot". Since I was about 15 I have known that children, all children, deserve the best possible life. My husband and I have three of our own children and have been talking about foster care for a number of years. Now that I have my social work degree nearly finished we decided we definitely want to be more involved and have a more direct impact than I could in the field. We only recently decided to follow our plan through to the end but we are all excited to begin our journey with orientation in one week!

—Guest Megan Loden

Help the Children of America.

I have been sponsoring children through the Christian Childrens Fund/Child Fund International for 39 years now. Twenty years ago I became a Foster/Adoptive parent and during those years , 20 children have been placed in my home. Number 20 I adopted. Foster parenting is not for the faint of heart. Your in it for the long run. Times will be difficult and stressful but to see the smiles of your children makes it all worth while. Good Foster Parents are so desperately needed. If you are up for the challenge, we need you now. I am a better Human Being because of these children and my life has been so much more complete. Help the 500,000 children in America who need your care, understanding and love. I'm Larry, a very proud parent.

—LarryBranson

Foster Parent Motivated by Haiti's Quake

I decided to try to be a foster/adoptive parent after the Haiti earth quake. My 6 year old son asked if we good adopt a child who lost their parent. Being a single parent I couldn't adopt internationally,so become a foster/adoption mom here in Maine.

—Guest sue bennett