It’s May once again folks! The warm summer breeze is slowly blowing in and preparing us for the New England heat. This month in particular is a big one for use in foster care, as it is National Foster Care Month. A month to spread awareness, learn ways you can help support your community, and to highlight the amazing accomplishments of our kiddos as well as the foster parents who support them. For this month’s blogs we thought we would do things a little different and republish some of our ‘Wonderful Wednesday’ posts. For those of you who are not part of our social media community, our ‘Wonderful Wednesday’ posts are a nice break in the week where we get to come together to acknowledge and cheer on the resilience/personal growth of the children and youth in the program. Readers of this blog will learn how children have rebuilt their self-confidence, patiently worked towards goals, witness as foster parents support sibling connections and respect a child’s cultural identity. Without further ado… lets grab our pompoms and cheer for successes in foster care.

Handsome Herbert:

Today, we are celebrating a foster parent who has made a significant difference in a little boy's life, and this young man who has been dedicated to improving his health.

Handsome Herbert did not feel very handsome when he arrived in care. In his former home, he did not understand emotional regulation and comforted himself with food. He did not have access to healthy options, so the food available caused him to gain weight. He also did not have opportunities to be active, so he lived a very sedentary lifestyle. When Handsome Herbert arrived in care, he was almost 100 lbs. heavier than his peers in elementary school.

Mama N saw a kind, smart, loving little boy. She recognized that he lacked confidence and knew she wanted to help him in this area. Mama N is an active person. She talked with Handsome Herbert and he agreed he wanted to go on walks. They ate healthy options (with some decadence mixed in from time to time!) and he engaged with a therapist to learn more about ways to manage his feelings and be more attuned to his body. Herbert even enrolled in classes at the local YMCA, helping him learn different ways to be active.

Handsome Herbert stands taller today! Mama N catches him checking himself out in the mirror and he has a look of confidence on his face. Mama N has tried to be very careful not to put pressure on him or to make weight an obsession, but to help him observe that he can run further, can participate in activities, and doesn't get tired like he once did. Handsome Herbert's healing journey is ongoing, but we love that he sees changes in himself and knows that he is worthy of wellness.

Hooray for Handsome Herbert and Mama N!

Dazzling D and Jumping J:

We are celebrating perseverance. Two fellows really exemplified that quality.

Dazzling D has been building his confidence with equine therapy. He's been going for a while, steadily gaining confidence and comfort. Recently, he took a huge step forward- he was ready to ride! D bravely put on a helmet, mounted an adorable pony, and allowed his instructors to lead him around the ring. You may have thought a comet passed overhead when he made a circle around the ring because his smile was positively blinding

Jumping J completed Driver's Ed! Driver's Ed can be overwhelming, and many young people don't get through the whole course, but J did it! Driving is a huge life skill and a giant step toward independence. Congratulations on staying with it and seeing it through, J.

Siblings and Healing in Foster Care:

We are celebrating siblings and healing in foster care.

Sammy has been in care for nearly half a decade, as are their siblings. When the kids entered care, they came from a very difficult family experience. They could not safely be together, because they would become physically and emotionally aggressive with one another. The kids were placed separately but had weekly visits. The visits were intense and the kids would often struggle to be safe together. Over time, they requested fewer visits.

Sammy and their siblings have been working diligently in therapy to unpack their early traumas, to understand what it means to be a sibling, and to consider what they want out of their relationships. Slowly, visits have started to happen again and have been successful. They look forward to seeing each other and ask to stay in touch throughout the week.

This week, the kids are taking a big step: a sleep over at one of the foster families' homes. All agencies involved have talked about safety and what will work best. Sleeping arrangements have been coordinated. Therapists have been talking with the kids individually. Everyone feels prepared. Foster parents have a clear plan for the event and what to do if it doesn't go as well as everyone hopes.

Folks, this was unthinkable a few years ago. We didn't know if the children would be able to move past the trauma they experienced together and be able to have a relationship outside of that but today proves that steady work at each child's pace can work. Kids can heal, relationships can mend, and childhood can be filled with joy. Kids, we hope it is a great start to a new chapter of your family life together.

Camila and Ms. Rose:

This was Camila's first removal from her parents. She was scared and sad, but liked Ms. Rose (her foster mother) instantly. However, there was something that stood out to her the moment Camila entered the home. Ms. Rose nor anyone in her new community spoke her native tongue of Brazilian Portuguese. While Camila understood and spoke English, she missed the comfort of hearing her parents speaking Portuguese in the home as well as the delicious meals her mother would make. One night while Ms. Rose was tucking her into bed, Camila confessed that she was afraid that she would forget how to speak Brazilian Portuguese. Aware of how important cultural identity is Ms. Rose spent that night searching for children's books translated in both English and Brazilian Portuguese for her and Camila to read before bed. Ms. Rose also searched for recipes for some traditional Brazilian dishes she recalled Camila talking about during her time in the foster home. It has now become a tradition for Ms. Rose and Camila to make Brazilian food at least once a week.

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We hope that by resharing these stories they not only warmed your hearts, but also motivate you to continue advocating and supporting children in care.

If you feel ready to take the next steps to become a foster parent reach out to us today and learn the impact you can make in a child or youth’s life firsthand!