Today I finally took off the badge that labeled me as a Cast Member in training, and I worked my first day as a full Cast Member... no more training wheels. It was like ripping off a bandage; you need to do it quickly and move on with life instead of just worrying about the pain that it could cause.
When I got home from work, of course I went to on my computer to check social media. I saw a post online about a foster parent questioning first reactions to the arrival of new foster children. She was amazed at how quickly she had felt a bond with her new foster child, and was wondering if other foster parents had ever felt such a deep love for a new child so quickly.
I think that my family has always felt that immediate bond with the children who have entered our lives. Why shouldn't we feel as though they were part of the family from the moment they walk through the door? These children don't become my siblings two weeks into the placement; they become my siblings from the first minute they're in my house. I start loving them from the time we receive a phone call to take the kids in.
If you think about it, taking in foster children is really no different than discovering you are pregnant or bringing home a new baby. Don't expectant parents love their unborn child before the baby is born? Don't family members love a new baby from the moment they meet them for the first time? It's the same way with taking in foster children, whether or not you know that they will be with you for the long haul.
It's perfectly normal to feel a deep bond with your new foster children when you first meet them. That bond will continue to grow as your foster care journey evolves, but it's good to have that bond with those children. It helps them, and you, as you move through the foster care process.
Thank you so much for your continued support! I look forward to sharing more stories about my experience with foster care, and hopefully hearing from readers who have questions or similar stories to share. I'm always willing to answer questions and hear about other experiences! Please don't forget to like and share my Facebook author page as well!
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Thanks!
Taylor