As a foster parent, you know the children who come into foster care may have experienced traumatic things. Some children have witnessed things you would never let your own children see on t.v. but these children have experienced them in person. And regardless of what they have experienced, just the fact that they had to be removed from their homes and everything that is familiar to them — their toys, their friends, their school and sometimes their brothers and sisters — is traumatic. But they are still children.
Think about how you feel when you have had to face a major loss. It's really hard to understand what's happening and why it had to happen. Now imagine you're going through that at the age of five. If grown-ups can't deal with stuff sometimes, we can't expect children to do better. When children don't have the words to express their emotions, they act out. They may be angry. They may lapse back to baby-like behaviors, including wetting the bed. Not because they're bad, but because they don't have any other way to express their grief. Yes, it can be challenging, but you will not be out there alone. You will have people supporting you, encouraging you, and helping you know how to best help these children.
Our hope & vision for Jacob's Community Center is to provide a "family like community" for foster children so they can have a place to go where they don't feel different. It will be a place for foster parents to go and get support, even if it's just to be able to sit down with other parents who deal with the serious issues on a day-to-day basis too and have someone to talk to about their daily struggles or accomplishments.
What are some of your kids' favorite activities? Is there something that helps them cope better when having a bad day?
#iSupportJacobsCommunityCenter
www.asanow.org
Written by Lisa Wallace
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