In 2015 around 430,00 children in the United States were in foster care. About 54,000 of those children were adopted.
In my parents have been foster parents for more than 12 years. It’s something my family enjoys doing not only because they want to but the feel as if it’s their obligation to do so. Over the years we have had many foster children. From different races, ethnicities, and genders. My parents always made sure no matter who the child was to give them a safe caring loving atmosphere.
In the special summer of 2014.My parents received a call from our local DCF apartment for an 8 year old girl which changed my life forever. Her name was Julie.
She came from a very toxic environment. She experienced various forms of abuse. I knew she was different from your regular 8 year old and I was still a child myself. She was exposed to things that an 8 year old shouldn’t have experienced or even endured for the first 8 years of their life. Those experiences had mentally, physically, and emotionally damaged her. They also had a
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She had to start calling her mother in attempt to build the relationship and bond that was lost between them. After each call she was frustrated upset. She bottled up her anger and started to exert it at our family. “I rather be in a group home.”, she had said to me. I felt like we had failed her at the moment. I was the only one in my house around the same age group as her so I knew I had to do something. I ended up having a conversation with her one night before bed. I told her “I know you’re having a hard time adjusting to my parents but we’re all just trying to help you. I want you to know that whatever happened with your mom doesn’t define you. You’re not what your mother called you. You’re more than that.” She was quiet for a while then said okay and went to bed. She woke up the next morning