Someone on one of the lists posed a question.

What do you think my kids will say when they go back to school and the teacher asks what they did this summer?

She was referring to her emotionally healthy kids, possibly bringing up some of the craziness that can occur in a foster or adoptive home. You do run the chance with some of our kids, of them bringing up some interesting things.

Would your child say?

I had a visit with my birth mom and I don’t live with her anymore because she drinks and does drugs.

Would... more

It’s the end of the month and I have tons of little articles sitting on my desk. None of them themselves makes a full blog, but might be considered a blob.

Wells Fargo has a website specifically to teach kids (mostly teens) about money management. The website has games the kids can play, and when they answer questions about money management, they earn virtual money that they can spend, save or invest. Future activities will have the kids get jobs, get a credit card, and apply for a... more

During my phone call with Sammy we talked about an ugly topic he didn’t really want to discuss, but it needed to be addressed.

Earlier in the day I had been on the phone with social services to try to find out what is going to happen with the theft charges Sammy now has pending against him. We will be back in court, and Sammy will probably be back in jail. If in fact he goes, this will be his fourth stay in secure detention, and he is only 14... more

I received a phone call from a very distraught Sammy tonight. I was not anxious to talk to him since the last time I saw or heard from him almost three weeks ago, he was spewing venom at me, telling me he hated me, and never wanted to come home again.

My how things have changed. Sammy was upset with some of the things going on in his foster home. If I am to believe his version of events (which I don’t) someone has done several destructive things, and framed him for them. I’m not being hard hearted, this is a recurring theme... more

In my previous blog, I gave my impression of the book by Katharine Leslie, “When A Stranger Calls You Mom”. I’m still blown away by what she was written.

One of the things that she talks about is the fact that our kids don’t get how to “do family.” They weren’t in a functional family to begin with, how can we expect them to get it, just because we plopped them with parents who wanted them?

So, her concept is to... more

This isn’t referring to the weight a mother gains during pregnancy. This refers to what happens after the child is in your home.

I’m so glad I have an excuse for my excess poundage now. Not sure how to explain the excess I had before kids, but I found this article quite interesting.

Adults living with children eat more saturated fat -- the equivalent of nearly an entire pepperoni pizza each week -- than do adults who do not live with children,... more

We all have those moments where something comes out of our mouths and we fear we have turned into our mother or father.

After an interesting talk with Sammy last weekend, I realized there are things that only foster or adoptive parents say. I started a thread on this on the Adoption.com forum and there have been some interesting answers.

Here are some from our home. Feel free to add yours. We could all use a laugh.

“You... more

By the time you read this, I will be happily relaxing and beginning to experience three hours worth of treatments at our local spa. I have hired a baby sitter, so I will have the time completely to myself.

I am treating myself to some pampering by getting a facial and a pedicure. Am I being selfish? Absolutely not!

In order for us to be good parents, we need to take care of ourselves. I devote a lot of energy to my kids, as well as to other foster and adoptive families. I do not take time for myself very often,... more

We may soon be in the same boat as many other parents that I have talked to. The placement that your child is in is going to release him, but he’s not ready to come home. Then what?

Yesterday we had our monthly meeting about Sammy’s development, or lack of. At the previous month’s meeting, everyone agreed that Sammy was no where near ready to come home. At yesterday’s meeting the wrap around worker said we needed to set a date for Sammy’s discharge. WHAT? He set the date for November second.

No one is quite sure why... more

I hate this statement when it comes to my kids. People who know my kids are adopted from foster care have a tendency to say this. I have also been told that I have rescued my kids and what a saint I am. I admit to having said these same statements to other adoptive parents with large families.

We didn’t decide to adopt from foster care for the attention or to have people praise us. We wanted children, plain and simple. Biological children were not in our future, so this is the choice that we made.

I feel anything... more