tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21112957.post4603798695412860580..comments2023-09-23T02:16:11.746-06:00Comments on Thoughts from a Foster Family: "Loving too much"Yondallahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10375966725096729570noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21112957.post-75104293749519637062009-01-22T10:48:00.000-07:002009-01-22T10:48:00.000-07:00I finally figured out how to post on your site!!! ...I finally figured out how to post on your site!!! I have to open it in Mozilla...anyways :)<BR/><BR/>I've talked with a couple people about this subject including my therapist. Those on the outside looking in see it as if we are torturing ourselves by taking in children and knowing that we most likely will be giving them up.<BR/><BR/>Everyone gets attached unless they are fostering for the wrong reasons.<BR/><BR/>What I explain to people is that I am accepting the fact that I'm not here to save these children. I'm also not going to be a permanent fixture in their lives. My job and role is just to care for them, love them and provide a safe home and nurturing environment during the time they are with us.<BR/><BR/>On another note, I feel like I'm prepared more than most. I moved a lot growing up so I know what it's like to leave people you love over and over. You mourn the loss...that is natural. You will think about them from time to time, but you will also be able to pick yourself up and move on.<BR/><BR/>Some connections are for a lifetime and others are only for a moment.Eva Carperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08723542790446665340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21112957.post-8222622141557100862009-01-20T18:48:00.000-07:002009-01-20T18:48:00.000-07:00In fact, I say, the opposite. The foster parent wh...In fact, I say, the opposite. The foster parent who can, loves the child more than they love themselves. The parent who claims they love too much, get too attached, are correct, they love themselves too much and are too attached to their own feelings to be a good foster parent, I am glad they don't.Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15530972001172936718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21112957.post-58296913098111741552009-01-18T09:00:00.000-07:002009-01-18T09:00:00.000-07:00I am willing also to admit to different levels of ...I am willing also to admit to different levels of attachment. Miss E was with us quite a bit. The longest stay was when she was leaving my friend Mandy's. She was here over a week. With almost any other girl I might have attached, but I always felt a distance with her. Sympathy, but no attachment. <BR/><BR/>Then of course there is the princess who is Mandy's niece and who still lives with her. Other people all tell me what a sweet girl she is. I can't say that I like her at all.<BR/><BR/>In the end, we are ordinary people ourselves and I don't think it is unusual that we don't attach to all the kids the same.Yondallahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10375966725096729570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21112957.post-6699852051326753402009-01-17T23:50:00.000-07:002009-01-17T23:50:00.000-07:00I heard that very often when we were fostering and...I heard that very often when we were fostering and I'm sure we'll hear it again once we get started the second time around...even if they didn't meant it the way it sounds (which I'm sure it was for many who said it to us as they were good, caring people in other ways) it always left me feeling unsettled. If "you" won't do it because it hurts "you" too much isn't that incredibly selfish...considering it's supposed to be done "for" the child...dunno...didn't like hearing it either way. Now, if "you" don't do it because you can't handle the pain or the stress or whatever then I totally get it.<BR/><BR/>There were children that went back to bad situations and to date it still haunts me and yet I had quite a few whose situation improved and I'm glad I was a part of that healing/reconciliationg process...plus I didn't attach to all of them (might get dinged for admitting this!LOL) but still did a good job anyway because it was about them and not me.<BR/><BR/>Eos/Angela (signing anonymous 'cause google is being uncooperative!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21112957.post-35137405034510422632009-01-17T12:10:00.000-07:002009-01-17T12:10:00.000-07:00Maybe what they're saying isn't what they mean, at...Maybe what they're saying isn't what they mean, at least not that way. I interpret the "I'd love them too much" to mean "it would hurt too much to let them go," but talking about how something would hurt feels a lot more vulnerable a thing than talking about the positive about how they're afraid they'd love too much, so they use the language that feels less vulnerable.<BR/><BR/>Or, it could be that the people saying it are just jerks.jenniebeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16835396908376825004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21112957.post-75161788292227307832009-01-17T11:46:00.000-07:002009-01-17T11:46:00.000-07:00Yep. When we first started the foster adoption pro...Yep. When we first started the foster adoption process, I couldn't fathom having to lose a kid and honestly could not do it because all I wanted was a kid of my own. I didn't want to take care of kids and not keep them. But now? Once I got Tara, it made much more sense to us. We could see what a difference a GOOD foster family made in her life and the loss that they experienced when losing her...but also the incredible happiness that they felt that she got a forever family. Anyway, my point is that people should say what they REALLY mean. Not that they "can't" but that they "don't want to".Torinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00992090842674056507noreply@blogger.com