WHAT WE WISH WE HAD KNOWN ABOUT FOSTER CARE | 7 Things We Learned While Foster Parents
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 มิ.ย. 2024
- We want to share with you 7 things we learned while fostering that we wish we had known before beginning our Foster Care journey.
We were incredibly unprepared when we received our first foster care placement. And even later during our foster care journey we were always learning new tips and tricks. We want to share these with you as well as a few foster care stories that we hope will be helpful to you during your time as a foster parent.
Here are the 7 things we learned:
1. Keep a stash of clothes, etc. 00:38
2. Little to no information will be available 02:19
3. Family visits can be traumatic 03:03
4. Casemanagers really do care 04:30
5. Steep time committment 05:36
6. Medicaid pays for (nearly) everything 07:25
7. Visitors and anxiety 08:44
UPDATE: We've gotten a lot of questions about the buzzers we used. Here's the link: amzn.to/2VimXSu
*These have 2 levels, the loud is really loud. :)
Here's canvases similar to the ones we've used: amzn.to/3dBmRvI
Let's keep the momentum caused by National Foster Care Awareness Month going! If you are a foster parent or former foster parent, COMMENT BELOW what you wish you had known before fostering!
------------------------------------------
See our camera and vlogging gear on our Kit.co site: kit.co/zero2fivefamily
Thank you so much for watching! Please subscribe: / @zero2fivefamily
------------------------------------------
We want to answer your questions about foster care and adoption! Contact us through our website and find resources like parenting and adoption resources in addition to website and vlogging resources.
zero2fivefamily.com/
INSTAGRAM @zero2fivefamily / zero2fivefamily
FACEBOOK @zero2fivefamily / zero2fivefamily
TWITTER @zero2fivefamily / zero2fivefamily
We would love to hear from you!
Zero2Five Family
P.O. Box 625
Reeds Spring, MO 65737
#vloggingfamily #youtubefamily #christianfamilyvloggers #nationalfostercareawarenessmonth #fostercareawareness
Song creds:
"Safe and Sound - Instrumental" by Graham Colton
Thanks! www.musicbed.com/
Need access to an awesome music library for a reasonable price? Get a free month's subscription here: www.musicbed.com/invite/j0wEX
------------------------------------------
We are the Black Family! We went from zero to five kids overnight through the miracle of adoption and foster care. We are learning to be a family together and want to inspire and encourage others to get involved in their state's foster program. We take lots of adventures together but...let's face it...parenting 5 kids is an adventure all on it's own!!
We hope this video is helpful to someone looking at fostering. Feel free to ask any questions below or reach out to us through our website if you have questions. We love hearing from you! Thanks for watching!!!❤️
Your family is beautiful.... We are her to support you along your journey!!! 😊
Brianna Lynn thanks!
This was very good information. I was in foster care when I was younger and now as an adult I am considering it. Very good info! Proud of the both of you!
@@doloressolis4665 thank you! Fostering was one of the best decisions we ever made. Not going to say it was easy but they changed my heart forever. ❤️
What state are you in?
I’m a foster parent who also adopted. One of the saddest days was on a Christmas Eve biological family visit day. My little girl was all dressed up and ready to see her bio mom and she never showed. She came back from that visit devastated. We cried together. I’m so glad she’s now a permanent part of our family . The journey can be difficult but it is worth it.
Oh no, that would be horrible devastating! We had some similar situations when biological mom would not show to meetings. We had to answer a lot of questions and really didn’t know why she wasn’t showing. It was so hard to see the pain in our kids eyes and hearts. You are so correct, the journey is difficult but definitely worth it. 🤗❤️
It's not all ways the parent's fault if you seen the stuff we seen done by the organization to the biological parents your jaw would drop we seen them tell the bio parents one access date knowing quite well it was the day after parent turns up no one there then the carer turns up the next day mothers not there of cause she is the worst person in the world for not showing up for her children which she did, and at the end of the day you can take them on permanent but there still not your child
Hi Farmer2492, yes the system has a lot of problems and we saw a lot of issues while we were fostering. Yes, we even ran into the wrong dates and times given. One of the best things we found while fostering was to be as helpful and loving to the biological parents as we could. We ran into situation where we were the horrible bad people trying to take there kids away, to parents who realized we were there to support and help both the child and the parents. When we started fostering our main objective was reunification with the biological parents, during the time we had a child in our home we strived to get that child everything possible because some times we did not know how much time they would be with us. Yes, there are major problems in every system but our goal is to educate and encourage those who are scared to foster, maybe due to this exact situation you are talking about. Thank you for bring this to light so that other foster parents will be careful of these situations that may arise. Thank you!❤️
@@Zero2FiveFamily i hv a friend who really is great w kids n thinks she likely cant pass the bk grnd check.. Do u kn if they would accept a foster parent who was indicted for a minor felony but it was dismissed but still on her record? Hers was a non violent non drug related thing.
I’m sorry I don’t know the exact answer, I would suggest talking to your local children’s division and they would be able to give you an exact answer.❤️
I grew up in foster care & group homes, over 50 placements all together. The best was when you got a foster family who took you out to pick out your own comforter set & sheets and maybe curtains. Just to make it your room. A lot of times you can get purchase orders from dhs for things like that. As well as clothes, shoes, carseats. Don’t be afraid to ask! They are legally our guardian and i used to call mine all the time when i needed things lol. Its sad my dhs case worker was the only person i steadily had in my life. She was really good to me and i was one of her first cases so she loved me! I was more attatched to her as a kid than she would ever know.❤️
Jenessa, thank you so much for sharing a part of your story with us. It helps us understand what you have gone through and how we can become better foster parents. It brings me to tears thinking you were in over 50 different homes.😢. So glad you had a caseworker that cared so much! Thanks for sharing!🤗❤️
I'm so sorry that you got shuffled around to 50 different homes that's so sad. I hope you are doing well in life now .. Gods got a plan for your life
What a testimony, I’m happy to you have some good memories. So very sorry that you had to go through the system.
Thank you so much!
I heard it just takes one significant person/adult in a child's life (to make a difference). Sounds like you had your worker for that! I'm glad you survived and I hope you have happiness in your life!❤
I myself used to be a foster kid, and want to one day become a foster parent, because my days in foster care were some of the most stable and safe i ever had in my life, and i want to give that feeling of safety to other kids in situation like mine. Foster families play such a huge role in a child's life it's hard to imagine unless you've experienced it. It can completely change a persons future. A good foster family can save a child, and even if it's for a short while, it goes a really long way, and a child will never forget a truly great foster family.
That being said, becoming a foster parent is still far off for me, since i don't plan on getting kids before I'm financially able to and have created a stable environment for a family. The most important part of raising kids is to know when you're truly able to do so properly.
Henkka Henrik thank you for sharing! I love hearing that you had a great foster experience. I hope some day when you are ready you are able to give the same to a foster child, it’s such a blessing. It comes with its struggles too but it’s so worth it. ❤️🤗
10/10 agree ❤. So many people have children before they can truly provide for them and it's heartbreaking. It's not a race and I don't get the rush.
Meanwhile, you might look into training as a CASA if that program exists locally and you have the time. Unlike foster care, which requires certain characteristics of your physical home, worklife and financial situation, being a volunteer CASA mainly involves time for the initial training of ~30 hours and the additional hours of continuing education each year, much of which can be accessed online, and then the time each month to visit the child or sibling group in your one assigned case. As someone who has wanted since childhood to grow up to adopt children from the foster care system, but who has for various reasons not been in a position to move forward on it, I found it a very rewarding way to help children in care. It also was a good fit for my elderly mother, who definitely wouldn't be in a position to foster but has made a great advocate.
The WORST PART: when they send them back to that situation, and you KNOW that bio family does not have it together, and the neglect and abuse will continue.
Yes, that was part of the reason we held off from fostering so long, but we knew we had to do something.🤗❤️
This is exactly why my husband is so worried about it
@@kristiechambers917 As a ward of the state Im recommending you know that we are /were broken.. We have a score to settle...and many of us have nothing to lose... Like befriending a cancerous wolf... Can go either way.. Be ready.
@@ebrakeramires339 thank you I was in a foster home for a few weeks it sucked so I want to say I understand but I Really don't I really just want to help a child who needs it I know the system is flawed and I know alot of foster homes are only in it for a paycheck abs alot of kids are harmed in the foster system and I just want to make sure I can try to prevent that for a child/ren
@@kristiechambers917 Nobel.. Thank you
Cheerz
i am 18 years old and i have always been very passionate about being a foster parent in the future...it’s something i have thought long and hard about and something i feel so very strongly passionate towards. i know i’m young but i feel that it is very important for me to educate myself as much as possible and i thank you very much for this video it gives me a better understanding of what i am so passionate about thank you guys for your amazing work❤️
Brooke, that is awesome! 🙌. Just cause you are young, don’t let that stop you from pursuing what you are passionate about. You are definitely on the right track learning as much as possible, but some things you will just learn once you have foster children. Each case and child is different so sometimes you have to adjust to meet those needs. Love your passion and desire to grow as much as possible before fostering. Your going to be an amazing parent!🤗❤️
I'm also watching this as a young person, doing my research for the future!
im 16 and ever since i was like 8 ive wanted to adopt 1 or 2 sibling groups because big families are awesome, its cheaper to adopt a sibling group, and most importantly because the siblings are already comfortable with each other and have a bond already which will make them feel more safe and happy.
My big fear though is how i would deal with adopting kids being gay. Idk if i would be married or not when adopting. My grandmother is 73 in a few weeks, so i want to have kids as soon as possible so that she can see my kids grow. I loved my great grandmother and want my kids to experience that too.
If you want to help a good choice might be becoming a big brother or sister to help.
@@Zero2FiveFamily we would.love to be a foster kid to adopt. What should we do to start?
I appreciate you bringing up - "having them leave, with more than they came with" - I love this philosophy behind foster care! Taking whatever the child is bringing in - a dirty backpack(or backpack full of emotions!) and loving & caring for the child, where when the child leaves & leaves with more than they arrived with. What a great attitude - thank you for sharing!
Yes, they always went home with way more than they came with. It was always a sad day for us when they would leave, never knowing if we would ever see them again. But we knew we did everything possible to make them feel loved and cared for. They will always have a piece of our heart. Thanks so much for watching!🤗❤️
I can feel that the kids in your home leave with a great deal of items that will help them in life but more than that they leave with life skills that will aid them for a life time. This video really inspired me.
There is always a reason for anger... it's not for "no reason at all." It may be directed toward you... but they have a reason!
Jasper Jasper yes that is so true! We just couldn’t pin point the reason this foster child was so anger or sad 😢 The hard part was that the child was non-verbal and could not tell us what was wrong, which made it so tough. 👍❤️
@@Zero2FiveFamily some times there mad at the foster parents because they also blame them for being taken away......
Graciela Campa yes that is true! It was so tough for us to know what it was since they were non-verbal.
Try an NVC parenting book and let me know how it works out: it takes a LOT of energy for kids with trauma
Dude chill! I don’t think they meant that there was no reason for the anger just that they weren’t able to figure it out at the time.
This is incredible! I choked up when you guys talked about the buzzer on the door and the safety and security that it offers them. That's SO important for them to see what a safe environment looks like - especially children who has been in an abusive home.
Thank you!! That was one of our goals while we had foster kids was to try to make them feel safe and secure at our home. You just never know exactly what a child has gone through. Thanks for watching!🤗❤️
Ever since I was 14 I wanted to be a foster parent, I had no true idea what it was gonna be like though, then I got put in foster care at 16, and I’ll tell you, there’s a huge weight that most foster care children carry with them, I’m 18 and still struggling. But I know I can use my experience to help other foster kids and connect to them more. I’m kind of thankful and now know what can come with a child with trauma: Past drug use, tantrums, isolation, paranoia, outburst, ect. I even came into foster care with some of these problems, there was times I felt the whole world was against me and I said some things to my 2nd foster mother I regret. The main problem a lot of foster children face is usually from their own mind, we never know when or if we have to move again, we don’t know if these families even want us and we don’t know what can make them hate us, one second we can be very close and the next we did something wrong and they don’t want us, sometimes it comes straight out of the blue, a phone call from a caseworker telling us to pack up because we have to move the next morning. My first home had me removed since I refused to clean up a strangers puke and I yelled at the daughter for cursing at me when I had to use the bathroom, my caseworker knew it wasn’t my fault since I put in multiple complaints with the family before in the first month but I still blamed myself thinking I shouldn’t have been too prideful, I was surprised when I heard I was getting removed, not from the complaints but from me yelling at someone for calling me names, after all the things they did, the racist things they said, the things they did to the other foster kids, I was the one who was punished and they are still parents, it made me not trust foster parents. It’s also hard to pick your whole life up and move into a place you don’t know with strangers you don’t know. I just want to let some possible foster parents know this too since I’ve talked to a couple of foster kids that do the same and you might not know: A lot of older foster children will try to be their very best in fear that they will have to move, it becomes a problem later on because it starts to get exhausting and our mental health continues to go down hill, then we start to isolate, self criticize, and self sabotage. Not all foster kids do it but a good amount do. I know it won’t be easy but I want to be a foster parent and help these children, and let them know they are safe, loved, and stable. Thank you for the video
Hi Millie May, thank you so much for sharing part of your story. I’m sorry for the things you have gone through, I really wish no child would ever have to go through those experiences. I believe you will make an amazing foster parent and you will be a major benefit to many children in the foster system. Your experiences as bad as they were will help you connect to others going through similar situations. It hurts my heart as I read your story and think about the trauma you had to go through. 😢. Thank you again for reaching out and sharing. 🤗❤️
God bless you!! I wish you all the best! You deserve it💕
My fiancé and I are looking into fostering and this comment has given me a huge insight into the mind of a foster child. The last thing I want is for them to fear my judgment of them! Good lord, I’m a hot mess… I was a street kid and then a model, survived DV and multiple SA, subsequent addictions and came through it all just by the skin of my teeth and all I want to do with this newfound stability is share it with anyone else who is going through that hellish cyclone of terror ESPECIALLY a child. I want them to know that I don’t expect anything of them except to try to heal, whatever that means to them.
I am helping out fostering families with taking some things down to Joplin to fostering contest for all of there families just saying that now
THANK YOU! When you say they come with nothing, this is absolutely a possibility. While our first placement came with a huge duffel bag of clothes and toys, we had no clue that our infant (who we picked up at the hospital) would not even have a onesie! Thank goodness the emergency social worker at the hospital had one in her bag. Please spread the word....bring an outfit to the hospital to pick up your sweet baby. We felt like such losers :-(
Oh my goodness Jennifer, I know exactly how you feel! We were so unprepared for our first placement, if it hadn't been for the backpack they came with donated by an organization called Bundles of Hope, I don't know what we would have done! LOL! This is such great advice and also a great way for people to support foster and adoptive parents. Keep in touch! We love connecting with other foster parents and sharing advice! :)
It seems when foster parents go through training, these things should be said. I'm a human service worker and I'm working on being a foster mom.
Maybe some of us that aren't current foster parents can help with some goody bags. Maybe that's my calling instead of being a foster parent again ?
I am a Japanese daddy, and thinking about to be a foster parent. Thank you very much for sharing this helpful video because in Japan no experience is shared by foster parents via TH-cam.
JJの図書館 that is so awesome!👏👍. I don’t know how fostering works Japan but would love to hear how it goes. Thanks for watching!🤗❤️
My name is Eva. I’m 25 years old and I just closed on my first home. I am starting to get settled in and I would love to foster a child. I used to volunteer for an orphanage when I was younger and there was a little boy named jamie who wanted me to adopt him but I was only 15 years old then. It was heartbreaking having to explain to him why I couldn’t. Ever since I always knew I wanted to adopt. I don’t make a lot of money at the moment, but I make enough to sustain my home. Do you guys think I could be a potential foster parent?
Most Definitely you could be a Foster Parent!!!!👍🙌👏❤️. What an amazing story you have! Congrats on the new home!🥳 🎉 Let us know if we could be of any help or any questions we could maybe answer.🤗❤️
do it! kids need to be adopted or fostered. the sooner you take them out of their bad situation the sooner that they will recover. idk what im trying to say but you get what i mean haha
good luck on your journey and good luck with your job!
I just happened to watch a program on children being abandoned or given away and it broke my heart. I wish I had the stamina and room to foster children because they would get love and attention May you two be blessed for all you do for these children coming in and out of your homes. Big Kudos to you both.
Awe, thank you Espie Espino, it breaks our heart knowing what some kids have gone through and do go through. There are so many ways to get involved and help even if your unable to foster. Fostering is tough but so rewarding when your making a difference in those kiddos lives and give them love and security when they need it the most. 🤗❤️
You guys are amazing for fostering. Can't imagine how traumatic family visits can get for these children and how it affects your relationship with them after the family members leave.
Life with Sam and Tiff yes our first placement really struggled with the visits. They only were with us for about a month and went to live with their grandparents and the rest of their siblings. I can’t imagine what they were going through they were both nonverbal so it was hard to know what exactly they needed and were going through.
I am guardian to a 16yr old. He visits his mom & still has behavior issues when he comes home from a visit. He's been with me 4yrs. Some kids will always struggle.
Yes and sadly a lot of the times they will
Stop visits claiming kids are exhibiting behaviors after the visits. But Ofcourse they are they have feelings. Its very confusing to see your parents and not be going home with them. Kids handle emotions differently Ofcourse they are upset, i would be more worried if they were not upset.
I love the idea of the door buzzers to help them to feel safer. And I love the painting idea too. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Alexandra Sutliff thank you! We love sharing and hope we can help and encourage others through the foster process.❤️
Thank your for this information! When I get a house and get my career stabilized I want to look into fostering with my partner.
You are welcome! Love share our experiences. Thanks for watching! 🤗❤️
Start as a foster mentor to get some experience.
We are there! My dear husband and I are finally in a place where we can do it and will do it!!! This week, we submitted our application packet ❤
Wooooooohoooooo! That’s so exciting! 🙌👏👍
Foster mama of 3 (relative) and bio mama to 1. This was perfect! I am shocked at how few fostering info videos there are and there are no real authentic ones for relative placements. 😭
Thank you, that means a lot. We hope and pray that others will see our family and desire to give other children a permanent loving and caring home. Thanks so much for watching and the support! 🤗❤️
Thank you for being foster parents. I am a foster child and been with my family for 54 years never adopted.
🤗❤️
Loving the channel! Just found it while researching! I am a single 23 y/o from Nebraska with the calling for foster care! Thanks so much for sharing your experiences!
Ali Mae Wilson that’s awesome!! So glad you found our channel. What part of Nebraska are you from, Jared grew up in Nebraska. Love 💕 that you have a calling for foster care, let us know if you have questions or can help in any way.😁❤️
Zero 2 Five Family I’m from Franklin but I attend Wayne State!
Ali Mae Wilson 👍😊 Jared grew up just outside of Beatrice in a small town called Virginia.
I’m from Nebraska as well and was raised in the foster care system ❤️
Nebraska!!! 🙌❤️🙌
Thank for the great advice.. I am truly looking forward to following what God told me to do and becoming a foster mom
That is so awesome! Let us know if there is anything we can do to help or if you have any questions. Love hearing you take that first step and listening to what God has told you. 😊❤️👍
Thanks so much for your videos. My wife and I are in the middle of a 2 day crash course to be foster parents, and your videos have been a HUGE help.
That’s so awesome, so glad it has been helpful! Reach out if you have any questions or we could be of any help.🤗❤️
@@Zero2FiveFamily Thanks. We are in Oregon but some of these things are universal. It is always good to have as much support as possible.
My family has been a foster family since July 2020 and I CAN'T RELATE MORE TO ALL THIS STUFF. I'm crying actually..
What a blessing your family is to those kiddos. Love hearing other families stories. Thanks for watching!🤗❤️
"It might have hot a little out of hand at the beginning".....AWESOME.
Very good info!!! You are to be applauded! Thank you for sharing!!!
Thank you!🤗❤️
You are very special people. Thank you for all you do.
Thank you!!🙌🤗❤️
This has been tremendously helpful. Thank you!
So glad it has been helpful, that was our goal!🤗❤️
This has been extremely helpful! Thank you so much!
So glad to hear! Thanks for watching!🤗❤️
Excellent information on fostering. Thank-you.
Awe, thank you!🤗❤️
That closet warmed my heart
Awe, thank you! We might of gone a little overboard. 🤭. But it sure is nice to know they have what they need and multiple options.❤️🤗
You two are fabulous. Thank you for this video.
Well, I don’t know about that but thank you! 😁❤️
Thank you for the love that you share with the kids. It's folks like you guys who change the world !
Awe, thank you!🤗❤️
Thank you so much for doing this. This is very helpful.
Polly Parks thank you! 👍❤️🤗
Thank you for the canvas idea to make their room and bed feel more like their own!
Madeline Knoblock your super welcome, it’s fun and definitely makes the kids rooms feel like theirs. 🤗❤️
I love you guys. Thank you for the things you do for these children ❤️ You are the epitome of wonderful people.
Thank you Lauryn, but we are nothing special those little kiddos are the amazing ones!!🤗❤️
Thanks for all the information and the great compassion you two have. Hubby and I are almost home alone now,and we have a lot of compassion and love to show
That’s so awesome! Are you thinking of fostering?🤗❤️
Thank you 😊 for sharing your information with us.
You are so welcome, so glad it was helpful!🤗❤️
Thank you so much or making this video! The buzzer and art projects are great ideas. Safety is the best gift you can provide for a child in these situations.
TastemyAtrocity thank you! 😊. The kids love the art projects, hoping to make new art pieces for their rooms soon. Yes, safety and security. We tried to always let them know what we were going to do and not surprise them at first with things. It seemed to help with them trusting us and a sense of security knowing our routine. Thanks for watching!🤗❤️
Wow! Thank you for making such an informative video! I have been thinking about fostering and this is really helpful to plan ahead. God bless you both as y’all truly have huge hearts! Newly subbed ❤️
Awe, thanks!😁. That’s so awesome you looking into fostering , definitely one of the best decisions we have made. Kids are such a blessing and to take in and give a child a home to feel safe, secure, and loved is such an awesome feeling. It is definitely hard a times but so worth it. Thanks so much for you kind comment and watching. Let us know if we can help in any way!🤗❤️
You guys are awesome, thank you for this informative video. We are just licensed and waiting for our first placement. I really loved the canvas idea and the bell! Thanks!
ashley thompson thank you!😊. Congrats on getting licensed for fostering! That’s super exciting! I still remember every little detail about our first placement. The canvas paintings are great way to make the child feel at home. I think we are going to have the kids make new canvas paintings here pretty soon. They had a blast make their last ones. Thanks for watching!🤗❤️
I really appreciate you both!!!!!! Thank you!
Awe, thank you!!! ❤️🤗
Omg! This made me cry! You actually look like good foster parents!
Hi Kimberly, some how I missed your comment, I’m sorry! Thank you, we aren’t perfect but trying to do our best at providing a loving, caring, secure home for our kids, all while having fun.🤗❤️
Ppl like yourself are amazing 😻 thank you for yourselfs you have a special heart ♥️
Thank you!!! We are humbled to have the opportunity/privilege to adopt and raise our children. We couldn’t thank God enough for how He worked everything out perfectly even when we thought nothing was working out. 🤗❤️
Very helpful info, thanks!
Thank you, so glad it is helpful to you! Thanks for watching!🤗❤️
The buzzer on the bedroom door idea is great! That would be very reassuring for a child.
It was amazing for both us and the kids! 🙌Thank for watching!🤗❤️
Wow there are people like you guys in the world makes me love this life more
Thank you!
I’m so glad we discovered your channel! We are also a family grown through adoption. We have three children adopted from orphanages in Ukraine, one child adopted from U.S. foster care, and we’re not done growing yet. We’re enjoying get caught up on your past videos.
That’s awesome! Thanks for watching!🤗❤️
Thank you for doing this. I am just starting the process of becoming a foster/adoptive parent, and it's great to hear the practical tips.
Your welcome! Love hearing that the video is helpful. I wish we would of watched some videos before we went into fostering, we were totally unprepared. Thanks for watching! 🤗❤️
6:41 "The things that you do during the time that you have them sets them up for a better future."
Queen Kitty that is so TRUE!!! 🤗❤️
It is all taken away when they go home... it's harder than you know. I thank you for your efforts...
Hi Decla Green, I’m so sorry, I have heard stories of that happening. I can’t imagine what you have faced and pray for those going through similar situations right now. We will always fight for those in foster care and strive to build relationships with biological parents to help in anyway possible. Thanks for reaching out!🤗❤️
Thanks so much for these vids. I can do all the research on NY foster laws I want, but nothing can replace learning from people with real experience.
Awe, thank you!!! Love hearing that the videos are helpful! 🤗❤️
You two are kind and loving people ❤️ who make this world a better place. Thank you for all that you do. (It's good to know there are people like you willing to help children in need)
Awe, thank you!!!🤗❤️
God bless you and your big heart. You are wonderful and seem to really care for the children who come to your home.
Patricia Johnsonson thank you! Wanted every child to know they are loved and safe at our house! 🤗❤️
Thank you for sharing, I’m in the process of getting this done and this video really help me.
Stephanie, that’s so awesome! 🙌👏
We are just barely starting on our journey. So excited to get some little ones. You guys are so down to earth. New follower over here!
Hi Kelly, that’s so awesome! I seems like yesterday we were starting our journey. It was scary and exciting all at the same time. Thanks for following, sorry we been super busy lately and haven’t put to many new videos out lately. Hopefully that will change shortly. Let us know if you have any questions or there is anything we can do to help as you start your journey. 🤗❤️
Thanks for this video!!! Last tip is ESPECIALLY helpful bc sleeping schedules are life in our house!!
Your welcome @HarbysBarbie So glad it was helpful.🤗❤️
You nailed this video. I agree absolutely. The family visits are so terrible.
Thank you, @imaginempress!❤️
Very well done. I like Your NE "quilt " hat ! And last...thanks for making a difference !!!
Thank you so much! I absolutely love my Nebraska hat, I’ve been a Husker fan since I was 12, might caused a little tension in my house since my dad worked for the University of Oklahoma!😂
This was awesome! we cared for many children! And ready to do it again! 6ou had great tips about alarms on their doors.
Wendy, thank you! That is awesome, we actually miss fostering and the relationships you make through it.🤗❤️
God bless you for all the good you do❤
Elaine J, thank you!🤗❤️
Very informative video. I've been a foster parent for years & don't even think about this anymore. Glad u made this video for newbies!!
Oh, thank you so much! This means a lot to us. We are so driven to help and encourage others in foster care. Sometimes I think there is just no way to be completely prepared for foster care but we want to help as much as we can! Thanks so much for your involvement in the foster system! It is truly a labor of love, determination, and boldness! ❤️
Thanks for the information. I’ve been praying about being a foster mom. It is something I am beginning to make room for in my life.
That is so awesome!!!🤗🙌. Love hear when other take the steps to foster a child or children. It was definitely one of the best decisions we have made. I hope you will feel the same way. It will be tough at times but hang in there, you will make a huge difference in that child’s life. Thanks for watching!😁❤️
Great video! I just finished foster care classes in Cleveland, OH. I am excited to begin this journey. The information about the clothes was crucial. Thank you
Thank you Charmon M! Congratulations on finishing your classes, that is so exciting. Have you completed the home study yet?🤗❤️
God bless the both of you 🙏❤️
Awe, thank you!❤️
Thank you for this! Much needed. I start foster care this weekend ❤️ GOD bless you guys.
That’s awesome, love hearing when others are fostering! There are so many kids that need a loving home 🏠. Thank you for taking that step of faith and opening your home to those beautiful kiddos.🤗❤️
@@Zero2FiveFamily absolutely ❤️❤️
Thank you for a great video, I am in the process starting the class soon.
Hi Skatinka, thank you! That’s so exciting! 🤗❤️
Thank you to all of the foster parents. It takes very special people to care for these children and I admire you all greatly.
❤️❤️❤️
This video is so helpful and hearing from yalls personal experiences through your foster care journey with so many children will help many people. Not only people who are already in the process of starting their own foster care journey but to encourage others to look into foster care and starting their own process and journey that maybe they were scared to do bc of the unknown. The classes can only teach so much but to hear straight from someone with the experiences of having foster children come through your home is another level of help and information. Also I love how y’all explained the alarm for the rooms. I can’t imagine what some of the children go through in their short lives and the trauma the experienced and I’m sure many have fears of what could happen especially During the night so I’m sure that helped them fell more safe to sleep.
Awe, thank you! Yes, we felt like our classes could of done better with helping us prepared for receiving our first placement. Each class is probably a little different but our foster classes were not the best, but our adoption classes were amazing. We were both nervous going into it and I can’t even imagine what a child is going through.😢. But definitely one of the best decisions we have ever made.🤗. Thanks for watching and commenting, love it!😁❤️
Wow the door buzzer idea is amazing!
It definitely helped! Thanks for watching.👍
Such a selfless thing that your have done. It’s so very hard and I admire you both very much.
Awe, thank you! It’s been an amazing journey, tough but amazing!❤️
As a ward of the state Im recommending you know that we are /were broken.. We have a score to settle...and many of us have nothing to lose... Like befriending a cancerous wolf... Can go either way.. Be ready.
This. Thank you for sharing this reality. This is why we do what we do and wish and pray we can do more. Please know that we care and there are many many others out there like us who care for you. And, Jesus loves you. ❤️
You are awesome, bless you!!
Awe thank you!🤗
I am thinking to foster and you made me feel more comfortable understanding the tips you guys discussed. Thank you for sharing your valuable information
So glad we were able to make you more comfortable. Let us know if you have any specific questions, we would love to help. It was super nerve racking when we first got started. We depended on so many people, since we were pretty much clueless on how anything worked, but it all worked out.😉. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!🤗❤️
This was a great video! As a former social worker everything stated was right on target. I think understanding the time commitment is critical (ie: therapy appts, case management appt, visitations, Dr appts)
This means so much to us! Thank you for your kind words, we love social workers! ❤️
Yes, this gives me so much to think about. Like how am I going to be a resource parent while being single and working full time?
Y'all are awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Awe, thank you Jessica! Hope it was helpful.
@@Zero2FiveFamily Yes it was. Thanks 😊
Such an important video, and such sweet
And kind people, pretty selfless to care, not only about the children but also to care enough about children to be frank about the duties, expectations and emotional involvement the other possible foster parents can expect.. great job guys , your hero’s for sure, nice job 👍
Awe, thank you Brooke. The true hero’s are those foster kiddos and the things they face. 🤗❤️
I just connected with a county social worker and will be looking into being a foster parent here in California. Thank you so very much for your video! All the best to you and your kids.
That is so exciting!!!🤗🙌👏 Love to hear how fostering goes for you in California. Thank you for watching and glad we could help!😁❤️
God bless you both!
Thank you!!🤗❤️
I just found you on here. This was really good information. I just signed up for the orientation class that will be held in less than a month. I’m single, but my family is very supportive. Thank you for posting this.
Ms. Ana so glad you found us!!!🤗. That is awesome so excited for you! I hope your class will be better than some of the classes we took, at times we wanted to give up during our foster classes. So glad we didn’t! So glad your family is supportive, if there is any way we can help or support you, we would love to help! Let us know how your journey goes! Love to hear about! 💕😁
I want to foster all the kids I have and never have my own biological, but my partners parents disagree because of behavior issues, these lil kids need help. Behavior issues or not, I really hope I’ll be able to foster.
Ashley, love your desire to foster.🤗🙌. It maybe tough but there are always resources to help with behavior issues and even biological children can have behavioral issues. 👍❤️
@@Zero2FiveFamily❤️❤️❤️
@@ashleysblues5284 let us know if we can be of any support!🤗❤️
I heard you mention the door buzzer and was immediately alarmed but holy crow, what an amazing way to work it into both favors!! You guys are rocking it and I’ve been teetering on foster care for such a long time, this video has really helped so thank you!
So glad it was helpful, yes we didn’t know how to stop the wondering around the house and scaring the snot out of us in the middle of the night and then we came up with the alarm idea. We then realized it could make them feel secure too, it worked both ways. Fostering is tough but so worth it.😁❤️
My niece was Foster Mother
Like your experience, she had a 6 year old and she eould get up in tje middle of the night and wonder around the house. My niece placed an alarm on her door so she'd know if she was out of her room. The case worker told her to take the alarm off the door. Telling her that a child should never feel as though their in jail, not free to walk around her home. I believe the 6 year old knew how to work that social worker. Keep in mind that she started to foster this 6 year old and then adopted her. The alarm issue came up when the adoption had already went through. She already had her for 2 years and they were still following up.on.the case. I believe it may have been due to other siblings in the situation.
Thank you for the great info.
❤️
Love your video!! House inspection was done last week, I'm just waiting for the 1st placement, very nervous on this journey. Greetings from California.
It's so scary but so wonderful! Congratulations and please keep us posted on your progress. If there is anything we can do for you, don't hesitate to holler! ❤️
I'm 64 my wife and I live on a farm and have been exploring sharing some love, and our house with children, I raised my son's and they are both unmarried, I was hoping for grandkids sooner, in my heart a home is just not the same without hearing kids laugh and play, videos like this steer us in the right direction to going ahead and giving a kid a stable environment, Thanks
That’s awesome, that sounds exactly like our kid’s previous foster family. They wanted grandkids so bad, so they said if their kids don’t give them grandkids by a certain time they would begin fostering so they could have grandkids in their home. So that’s what they did, they are such a blessing to us and the kids. The kids now consider them grandparents and we visit them quite often, we couldn’t ask for a better situation.🤗❤️
@@Zero2FiveFamily aw Thank you for the feel good
Very helpful video. As a family, we're praying to Foster to Adopt. This helped with a little bit of anxiety I might have had.
Will be following! God Bless!
TheBalcony Farms 🙌🙌🙌 We will pray this week for your family. I know the anxiety of the decision to foster and adopt. We just had to turn it over to God and trust Him which was hard for me. Let us know how it goes and if there is any way we can help we would love too. 🤗❤️
This is such an informative video. Thank you for sharing. I want to be a foster parent?on day soon. You guys rock!
Awe, thank you! That means a lot, so glad it was helpful. That is so awesome that your want to foster, one of the best decisions we made ourselves. 🤗❤️
Very good information !! Thank you so much for sharing
Thank you!!!❤️
God bless you 2!!!
Thank you! Thanks for watching!🤗❤️
My fiance and I just started the classes to become foster parents and we are both excited and overwhelmed. I guess our biggest apprehension is how to make it work with us both working 8-5 jobs and that we are starting with nothing besides a full size bed. We have never had children so we don't have anything for them. We will for sure start going to threft stores to stock up.
Zoe, that’s awesome!!!👏🙌👍. That sounds exactly how we started out, we had nothing and slowly made changes as we started fostering. We started off with a couple twin beds and then got a bunk bed and then another and another that way we could rearrange to make everyone comfortable and fit best in our small home. It’s definitely a struggle when your both working the best thing we found was to split up and not both go to everything together that way we could save our time off and not use both our days off for the same thing. It was hard for us to do because we wanted to go to everything together but knew this would be best if we had more things come up. Normally, we would both go to the first court meeting of our foster kids, so the family and judge knew we were there to support the kiddos. Then we would normally, just both go to the really important meetings and court hearings. It’s definitely overwhelming, exciting, fun, sad, frustrating, and really we experienced almost every emotion while fostering. You’ll do amazing and I know you’ll find a way to make it work while both working. Thank you for wanting to make a difference in those children’s lives!🤗❤️
One of you will need a flexible work schedule. What I experienced was a huge time commitment in doctor, dentist, therapist, family visitation, IEP meetings and numerous other needs my fosters came with. In the long term placements you eventually get all the catch up work done and life becomes less hectic, but understand the first 6 months can be overwhelming.
We had our first home study today and we are about to start training. This video was so informative!
So awesome!! So glad we could help. We actually have several friends that are working on their home study right now too. They had quite a few delays due to COVID but I think they are just about completed all their classes and home study. Let us know how everything goes, we love hearing others stories. Thanks for reaching out!🤗❤️
Great video. I am thinking about fostering / adoption. god bless ! Awesome tips!
Love hearing that, thank you!❤️
Thanks for sharing!
Your welcome, thanks for watching!🤗❤️
My brother and sister in law are finishing their meetings/traning and will be approved to foster right away, I will share this with them, I'm sure a lot of this is the same as Canada, maybe not the Medicade part
Jesse Boulter that’s awesome, love hearing when others are taken the step to foster. It’s scary but so worth it. Yes, not sure on how the adoption process works and what’s covered in Canada.😁👍
thanks for all you do
🤗❤️
Thank you so much you guys are amazing. I hope this video prepares potential foster parents because we know that 50 percent of foster parents close their homes in the first year.
Thanks so much! I totally agree! It's so hard to be prepared to foster and sometimes there are things you don't learn in training. We hope and pray that we are able to encourage and support foster parents because we know just how hard it can be.
Thank you I’m very curious about this since our church is talking about considering it
Zena, that’s awesome! It was a tough decision and challenging at times but fostering was what we needed to do. We knew we were being obedient to what God wanted us to do but was not easy to make that jump to start. 🤗❤️
Thank u for sharing
When you open that closet it put smile to my face imagine theirs ☺️
😁. It kind of got out of hand but was so handy to have so many clothes. The older kids would get excited about all the new clothes and when they would they would leave we would send them with boxes of extra clothes. It was just one way we could help them because most the time they didn’t have a lot of clothes normally just a set or two. 🤗❤️
I am seriously considering becoming a foster parent. Its something I have always wanted to do, even when I was growing up. I may have some strange questions lol Its very easy to see how genuine you and your husband are. This is the first video of yours I am seeing and already feel comfortable in asking any type of question. So, as a first time Foster parent, how can you prepare clothing if you do not know the age and gender ahead of time? Have you felt as though your case worker or “the system” took advantage of you or put too much on you or was overly judgmental towards you for any reason?
Hi Susan, we love that you feel comfortable asking us any question and ask away. We still are learning and there’s a lot we don’t know and ask others ourselves. So we were so unprepared when we first started we had nothing and then our first placement came and the foster children’s caseworker told us to leave the child’s possession outside due to where they had come from.😬. We actually left their stuff in a trash bag in the garage until the day they went to live with relatives. We had nothing for them, thank goodness the caseworker gave us a backpack from a ministry which helped us get them cleaned up for the first night so I could run to Walmart to get some clothes. We knew right then we were going to build a stash of clothes, boys and girls, infant to 10 yr old sizes. So we started hunted nice clothes down at gentle used stores and Goodwill(for some reason our Goodwill gets brand new clothes from department store and they are awesome, I’ve never found one as nice as the one locally. So we spent maybe $200-$300 on clothes and lots of thrift stores to have a nice assortment of clothes for any child we would foster, we always sent them home with a nice stash of good clothes, too 😁. Plus we kind of enjoyed the hunt, finding name brand, new looking clothes for $2-$3 bucks each, it’s a good feeling.❤️
Susan, the second part of your question, we did at times but we strived to focus on the child and helping them out as much as possible while they were in our care. We had lots of unique situations and challenges, but we found there are lots of resources to help, you may just have to ask and do some searching. We also have some very close friends who foster and adopted and helped us tremendously when we struggled. One, good example again was our first placement, we were not prepared!😳. Both kids where 3&4 and non-verbal and several other thing going on. That was extremely tough for us, thank goodness we stuck with fostering. Otherwise we would of had our kids!🤗❤️. Thanks so much for the questions, love them!👍
@@Zero2FiveFamily I LOVE thrift and bargain shopping!!! I have a slogan I made up....the less you spend, the more you get! Hehe Thanks for your replies and sharing your experiences!!!
Love it!👍❤️
I am proud of you guys for what you do
Thank you, we are truly blessed! The kiddos are the awesome ones.🤗❤️