moi

Our little foster baby left recently to go to a relative's house. He had been with us for 4 months and we got him into great shape and he was very attached to us, but all good things come to an end. Poor guy came with absoloutely nothing after his teenage mum had passed away and grandmother neglected him. He left with plastic bags and cartons but they were packed full of stuff we sent with him.
I attached photos - if they open.

Mummy in the foothills

Cutie, we did foster care for 10 years, lots of little babies came and went. I have an album dedicated to them with their pic, name, DOB and when they were here. Eventually Dd arrived and never left, so we stopped fostering in 2010 I think we had something like 15 babies over the years raging from over the weekend to a new born that stayed for 10.5 months.
I hope you have as much fun with the babies as I did, the system can be brutal and frustrating, but the babies are the best.

Trixie_b

Awwww... must be tough to say goodbye.

Sally Redux

Adorable.

There is a local group of ladies who make pillowcases for foster children, with the idea that when they move the children take all their stuff in it. Really makes you think

avanutria

Thank you for being a caring foster family.

moi

Thanks....It was very hard to let him go - He left crying and apparently he did not stop crying for almost 3 hours until they got him to the great aunts house. The great aunt still wants him to have contact with us. However; if he gets reunited with grandma then god help him.

We miss him dearly, but we have to remember all of the love and help he received while here.

Mummy in the foothills how old is your DD now? How old was she when she came?
I said I would never do it again while he was here because of all the DYFS crap that comes along with it. For instance; 3 different caseworkers in 4 months that he was with us - they keep quitting - I wonder why!
But now it feels like an addiction to help these babies out.....but trying to work full time and do this isn't easy with the million and one appointments, even though the state pays for daycare.

Mummy in the foothills

It is an addiction and a full time job, we took 6 months off one time so I could work and replenish our savings account, I don't care what anyone says about the money they give for the babies but it never seemed to be enough, all the driving and visits and clothes. I bought each one a suitcase, and it would leave, over flowing and accompanied by duffel bags or whatever I had found. I hope you don't quit, it's a heartbreaking, fun, addicting, thing to do and dam those babies heads smell so sweet. I could sniff them all day
Our Dd came at 6 months, she's 6 now and in K and doing well.

moneypenny20

Aww he looks so happy. Hope he has a good life with the G Aunt.

Trixie_b

We're embarking on a foster / adopt program right now..... super scary and exciting all at the same time

moi

Trixie B that is wonderful that you are going through the process.
I put a link that has helped us a lot through the process - they even have a CA section.

http://forums.adoption.com/foster-care-adoption/

Just be prepared for the fact that they may go back to bio or a relative. Not sure if you have any bio kids or not, but that does help you alot if they are reunited. However if reunification does not happen you get first choice to adopt them.
Keep in the age range that you are most comfortable with until you feel like a pro.
Do you work full time? It was hard work and I stayed home as I got laid off in the summer. NJ pay for full time daycare though. I think it is doable with full or part time work, but it is harder than if you were to stay home. Please feel free to ask any questions as you go through the process. However; each state has slightly different rules/regulations.
If you do international or domestic adoption, be prepared for mega bucks. This way doesn't cost you anything, however; reunification is always the goal, unless that cannot be achieved.

Mummy - I hear you about the $. We only used to get approx $25 a day for everything. I used to make that as an Exec Assistant in 1 hour when I was working! If anything, we spent more than what we got. However; it did help that we have a 5 year old boy and still had some older things of his to use. The self gratitude from fostering far weighs out the corporate bull crap anyday.

There are some fantastic - adorable kids out there that just need a home and lots of hugs and kisses and the kids really need you.

Juswus

He looks like a sweetheart. I hope everything turns out ok for him.

As someone who was adopted, I have huge love and admiration for all of you who do this...I wish I could send you all huge amounts of real life karma

SagenOnion

In all seriousness, I have a tremendous respect for people who become foster parents. I couldn't do it.

Gingerert

Aww, I love him! That hair is fantastic.

Well done on being foster parents - it's incredibly tough. My OH and I plan on applying to do fostering once Little O gets a bit older, so I'm always curious to hear other people's stories.

scrubbedexpat097

Awwww, were you a little baby left under a gooseberry bush???


Just teasing, it sounds like you had a great life honey with your adopted family. That's so nice to hear

Juswus

I've had a bloody amazing life. I can never thank my Mum enough I wouldn't change a thing.

pmsl @ gooseberry bush. My brother told me my Mum fell over me on the doorstep one day and thought "Oh I suppose I'd better keep her". This is about the 3rd time I've posted on here about mean stuff my brother did when I was a kid...pmsl. He was a fab brother really