When it comes right down to it, I am writing this blog because I am nervous and filled with self-doubt about my ability to do something I think is important. I believe with a whole heart and my full body that the children who come into my home carry too much pain for their young lives. And every time policy, bureaucracy, or rules add to that burden it both breaks my heart a bit and fires me up. The kids don’t understand. How in the world could they? These moments are the opposite of natural consequences, they are the result of well-intentioned rules taken completely out of context and enhanced by a diffusion of responsibility and a lack of belief in one’s own power to instil good judgment over policy by the adults in their lives.
I worry constantly that I am powerless to change anything about this system. I have no idea where to start. Something does need to change though because our children deserve a community. They deserve adults who act in their best interests. And they deserve to receive support on the journey each of them takes as they strive to become more of who they are and figure out how they can best serve the world and do good.
I write this blog to chronicle my journey of trying to figure out how I fit in to this system and how I can instigate or join forces with those who already affect changes that need to happen in the system. I also hope to hold myself accountable to this important work and use this forum to keep myself focused.
I anticipate that this blog will primarily focus on articles of 3 types:
- my process of figuring out how to get involved and become a change agent with all of the small ideas, successes, and failures that may come with it
- my personal stories and experiences as a foster parent
- thoughts and updates on the cool or frustrating things I learn as I discover more about the system itself and what is happening in the world of foster care policy and how it affects our children.
If, in addition, this blog helps me to learn from others who are interested and becomes a forum for us to share inspiration, encouragement and support I would consider myself lucky.
“The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places” ~ Ernest Hemingway
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