There are checklists to complete about our home before we become foster parents. So many hours of class time to finish. Homework and questionnaires to fill out. Background checks to be done. Physicals to say we're healthy. CPR/first aid certification. And meetings to discuss our past. I want to get an A+ on all the requirements for us to open up, but in the last few weeks... Well I found out that we'd probably pass with an average C. As long as there are no red flags for why we shouldn't become foster parents they'll open our house up and we'll probably have a kid the day we open. Unfortunately where that relieves my stress of trying to make everything perfect, it also gives me no motivation to do a good job. It seems in our area they are so desperate for more foster homes I feel they have the whole "beggers can't be choosers" thing going on. It's no wonder things happen to kids in foster care when you hear you're likely to never get home visits. :\
Plus did you know I can let anyone babysit them for up to 8 hours? I can let anyone stay with us, but if it's a month or more I should get them background checked. They can travel anywhere with us, out of state included, all we need is a permission slip signed by the parents. All that's really required of anyone is that they're people we "trust" to have around. The case worker yesterday asked me if I'd be going to church camp again this year. Said I could take the kid with me, or just send the kid so I can get a break. I'm thinking "Really? I can just send them away for a week with a bunch of strangers?". I'm starting to understand why my mom was so protective...
For a foster child to get the stability they need, I'm not even going to let them go to the nursery or children's church without me for a while. How can I expect them to trust I'll return for them? I can't. They don't have that luxury. For me building trust and giving protection means keeping an eye on them as much as I can for as long as I can, no exceptions.
