Deciding to close my Foster License

You'd think it would be an easy decision to close my foster license. I'm almost 20-weeks pregnant, I have a 3-year old preschooler/toddler, I work full-time, I have volunteer commitments, not to mention normal "life" stuff.

The decision should be easy... 

But it wasn't. 

I've been a foster parent for almost 6 years now. A lot of my friends/network came from my connections though the foster care community. I have loved being a foster parent (most of the time). It's how my son came into my life. Being a foster parent has been something I've always been proud of.

Here I am at a certain point in my life where things are changing. My focus is changing.

I originally became a foster parent when I was a single woman with no children. I wanted to help families stay together and help children that were in need. That was almost 6 years ago.

Now, I'm a single parent with one son and a new baby on the way. I'm 1+2 now. Things have definitely changed. Where I'm at right now... taking in another foster child isn't a good idea. I want to be able to focus on my son and preparing him for a new sibling. I also want to spend quality time with my son while it's just the two of us. I want to focus on my new baby and give him the same love/attention that his big brother received as a baby. I don't want to spread myself too thin where I can't give any of my kids the attention they want/need.

With a heavy heart and with sadness, I decided to close my license. I'm keeping in mind that I can always reopen my license if/when my family situation allows me to, if the circumstances permit. I'm not closing my door on being a foster parent forever, just for the near future so I can focus on my boys and our family.

In the meantime, I'm trying to think of other ways I can contribute to the foster care community.

I'll keep my 8 former foster children in my heart, mind, and prayers. I'll also keep praying for all the children in foster care that they find permanency one day.


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