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Forgive me if I'm harping on this subject a bit too much, but this "Chicago Fire" story line that I've discussed in previous posts is really making me a bit crazy.
Forgive me if I'm harping on this subject a bit too much, but this "Chicago Fire" story line that I've discussed in previous posts is really making me a bit crazy.
If you're not sure what I'm talking about, please take note of my first two posts about the show's brush with foster care.
Basically, one of the firefighters on the show became interested in becoming a foster mother. It started with a foster mom being negatively portrayed as someone who was overdosing on drugs, and then the show continued to depict foster care in a manner that wasn't entirely true to real life.
Tonight, when I watched the season finale that aired earlier in the week, I was once again surprised to see how unrealistic the show was being in their portrayal of foster care. For a show that is usually so realistic, I just can't believe how they're working this story. I mean, my mom said that she saw someone from the show in an interview where they said that actual firefighters are consulted on how they would handle situations before the writers finish working on any scenes. So why couldn't they consult social workers or real foster parents to see how this situation would go?
This firefighter had been working to become a foster mom so that she could take in one particular child who was already in the foster system. In real life, it doesn't work that way; you can't just pick a child with whom you think you could have a good connection and you get to care for them.You just say "yes" to a placement over the phone and then let everything unfold as you go on.
At first, the social worker on the show told Dawson, the firefighter, that the system didn't work like that. It takes quite a while to become a foster parent, and by that point the little boy would have already been placed with another foster family. I thought that maybe the show would stick to the way things really work in the foster care system. Sadly, I was mistaken.
Spoiler alert: this week, the firefighter got approved and took in that little boy. Seriously. Not only that, but the social worker showed up with him at the fire house to drop him off. Why in the world would a social worker drop off a child at a fire house, or any other job location for that matter? The child would be dropped off at the home. I get that it was for show because all of the other firefighters started clapping, but come on. That's not how it happens.
In a matter of days, Dawson had to find a new apartment in order to be approved to take the little boy. On the day of the home inspection, she found an apartment and had tons of friends helping her to fix the place up because it had been in such bad shape. Even with all of the hard work, the inspector found a lot wrong with the apartment. Now, according to my mom, the inspector doesn't usually do quite as much as this guy on TV had been doing, like feeling around inside the oven or trying to open a window... maybe people in other states do things differently; I don't know. But the point is that the inspector found a lot wrong with the place and never even saw a bedroom or anything, yet Dawson was approved anyway. It just really made no sense.
I know that I'm taking this all too much to heart, and that it's just a show and at least someone is being portrayed as a caring foster parent, but it's just continually annoying me. I only hope that when the next season starts back up, we'll get to see what life is really like for a foster family and see how Dawson blossoms as a mother. All I can do is hope.
Your continued support means the world to me. From foster care to novels, and family to work experiences, I look forward to sharing more of my life with you each day. Don't hesitate to share your own stories with me or ask me questions about my life. Please don't forget to like and share my Facebook author page as well!
I’d greatly appreciate it if you would share this blog with friends and family through your favorite social media sites. If you’re sharing on Twitter, don’t forget to tag me (@TayTayK02) and use the hashtag #TaylorTalks.
Thanks!
Taylor
Basically, one of the firefighters on the show became interested in becoming a foster mother. It started with a foster mom being negatively portrayed as someone who was overdosing on drugs, and then the show continued to depict foster care in a manner that wasn't entirely true to real life.
Tonight, when I watched the season finale that aired earlier in the week, I was once again surprised to see how unrealistic the show was being in their portrayal of foster care. For a show that is usually so realistic, I just can't believe how they're working this story. I mean, my mom said that she saw someone from the show in an interview where they said that actual firefighters are consulted on how they would handle situations before the writers finish working on any scenes. So why couldn't they consult social workers or real foster parents to see how this situation would go?
This firefighter had been working to become a foster mom so that she could take in one particular child who was already in the foster system. In real life, it doesn't work that way; you can't just pick a child with whom you think you could have a good connection and you get to care for them.You just say "yes" to a placement over the phone and then let everything unfold as you go on.
At first, the social worker on the show told Dawson, the firefighter, that the system didn't work like that. It takes quite a while to become a foster parent, and by that point the little boy would have already been placed with another foster family. I thought that maybe the show would stick to the way things really work in the foster care system. Sadly, I was mistaken.
Spoiler alert: this week, the firefighter got approved and took in that little boy. Seriously. Not only that, but the social worker showed up with him at the fire house to drop him off. Why in the world would a social worker drop off a child at a fire house, or any other job location for that matter? The child would be dropped off at the home. I get that it was for show because all of the other firefighters started clapping, but come on. That's not how it happens.
In a matter of days, Dawson had to find a new apartment in order to be approved to take the little boy. On the day of the home inspection, she found an apartment and had tons of friends helping her to fix the place up because it had been in such bad shape. Even with all of the hard work, the inspector found a lot wrong with the apartment. Now, according to my mom, the inspector doesn't usually do quite as much as this guy on TV had been doing, like feeling around inside the oven or trying to open a window... maybe people in other states do things differently; I don't know. But the point is that the inspector found a lot wrong with the place and never even saw a bedroom or anything, yet Dawson was approved anyway. It just really made no sense.
I know that I'm taking this all too much to heart, and that it's just a show and at least someone is being portrayed as a caring foster parent, but it's just continually annoying me. I only hope that when the next season starts back up, we'll get to see what life is really like for a foster family and see how Dawson blossoms as a mother. All I can do is hope.
Your continued support means the world to me. From foster care to novels, and family to work experiences, I look forward to sharing more of my life with you each day. Don't hesitate to share your own stories with me or ask me questions about my life. Please don't forget to like and share my Facebook author page as well!
I’d greatly appreciate it if you would share this blog with friends and family through your favorite social media sites. If you’re sharing on Twitter, don’t forget to tag me (@TayTayK02) and use the hashtag #TaylorTalks.
Thanks!
Taylor
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