Articles

Ask any foster parent with an open bed and they will agree: There’s something thrilling about knowing you could get a call at any moment. You could wake up to a normal morning and by that night you could be tucking in a child who you call son or daughter. It’s an amazing thought. While […]

Each month a recurring question surfaces, both in the online communities I’m part of, as well as in my own emails, DMs and text threads. It goes something like this: I’m interested (or I have a friend who is interested) in fostering. Could you give me an idea of where to begin and how to […]

Foster parenting is sacred work. It’s also some of the most emotionally and physically taxing work a person can do. While we pour everything we have into caring for children who have experienced trauma, it’s easy to forget to care for the one constant in their lives: ourselves. Burnout isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a […]

“Respite? Huh? What’s that?” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this question. To be fair, when I first saw the foster care statistics at a local coffee shop and called the number on the back to see how I could help, I had never heard of respite either. The statistics say around […]

One of the greatest gifts that foster parents can receive is having a solid respite home that their children can go to. One that feels like extended family for both you as the parents, and for the children you foster. As respite providers, it can be hard to make fast and deep connections with kids […]

It was right after Thanksgiving dinner in 2015 when our daughter, Lisa, and son-in-law, JJ, shared their intentions to become a foster family. A bit taken back by the news, I savored a bite of pumpkin pie before responding, “Really? Tell us more.” They had contacted a local agency and were scheduled to begin training […]

by Michelle Snyder with Ben Snyder, Jr. While several books focus on how to welcome a child into your home — and the mental/emotional toll it takes on the resource parents — not too many tell the story from the viewpoint of your own children. “Beyond Blood” jumps into that space where Ben, the narrator, […]

As a foster parent or kinship caregiver, you play a crucial role in shaping the lives of the children in your care. One of the most significant challenges you may face is fostering a sense of individual confidence in each child, especially when caring for multiple children or along with your biological children. Parenting is […]