My FIRST training class! It came up very fast. I managed to complete all the paperwork and get the appropriate papers notarized, which wasn't a small task! I was 100% honest with my profile, which was hard to write some things in regards to my childhood questions. I figured that my past is an asset, why sugar-coat it?
We have a full class! I was happy that there were three other singles. All three of them are looking to adopt. The rest are couples. I am probably the youngest person in the class. One of the first things we did in the class was an Ice Breaker. I LOATH ice breakers! Always have. But the way they did it was interesting.
This first meeting was more informative, since it was an overview of the process. We have 2 instructors. One works with the adoption process, the other works with the foster care process. It's good to have both since they provide different prospectives of the children and the needs.
From the first meeting, I was really contemplating if I wanted to Adopt - instead of Foster.I was concerned about my ability to fall in love with a child and still work 100% for them to reunify with their birth family. The path to foster/adopt is the same - to a point. The paperwork is slightly different, but the training is the same for the most part. So I knew I had time to think about it.
After the class, I was excited that I was FINALLY moving forward in the process. I called one of my close friends to talk about the class, she grew up in Foster care. From my conversation with her, I finally decided that I would Foster. There is such a need right now for foster homes and if you do it right, you can help reunify families. Yes, it might be hard for me. But I'm hoping the reward of reunification and helping multiple families will be worthwhile.
My friend is probably my greatest resource. She was able to tell me how she felt, what she went through, what foster parents did that helped, what they did that made it harder, etc. It got me thinking about what kind of Foster Parent I was going to be. What I had to do to make a child comfortable (as they can be) when they first arrive. How I can be the child's advocate. Not being a parent, I knew the road was going to be more difficult having a child living with me full time. So, I started talking to my friends that are parents and getting advice on activities. I also started asking for donations of toys/clothes. I don't have any right now!
Yes, there was going to be a lot to do... the training classes, getting the house ready, gathering toys/clothes, getting mentally prepared on how to interact with the foster children, creating house rules, deciding on what age ranges I feel most appropriate to foster, completing more paperwork, etc. Much, much to do. Most of this I won't really figure out until I actually have my first foster child! I know that preparing will not 100% make me "ready". But I figure, prepping won't hurt. :)
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