People need to realize that Miss A is a TEEN! She's a mature teen, yes, but a teen. We don't need to see her face and know her name. She didn't ask for any of this (being in foster care, being placed in a family with a channel). We can adore her and root for her family (Hey, Miss A and family! We're cheering you on SO HARD!) while WANTING her to be anonymous so that she is in control of her own narrative now and later on.
So much this. I am an autism educator and have psychology background. I know special needs kids really need foster parents who are understanding. However, I have a 24 year old son on the spectrum who will always live at home, who has the emotional maturity of an elementary school kid. Not putting a foster kid into this environment.
@@kayleegoff141 That is a calling. I spent a year teaching computers to kids on the spectrum when I started my doctoral program. I'm an instructional designer, but my research is into how to teach abstract reasoning skills to kids with ASDs . They think in very concrete ways, and when they get to middle and high school, they struggle with algebra, math, and deductive reasoning exercises in language arts. I'm hoping what I do helps.
@@suzannadannaTARDIS I am autistic so I know some of the things we deal with. I was always the person entrusted with people's children to watch. For me personally, I was helping raise caring kids who learned empathy. Don't fully discount yourself if there are no safety issues. You sound like you would be a great foster home.
@@Makingofabetterlife Kandi, he has explosive outbursts and will yell incessantly for an hour. I am not thrilled with it, but I am an adult who knows what I'm dealing with. It's just not right to put a child through that who is already uprooted from their situation.
People are asking to see miss A's face? Rude! I'm super glad to see Miss A go home. Even though her fostering experience was extremely positive I don't think it's right to forever have her face/name connected with her foster experience on the internet. I encourage her to create an online persona completely separate from your channel. If a future employer/boss/teacher googles her they shouldn't be able to know she was in a foster home when she was 15. It should be something she has the choice to share, not information about her at your fingertips. I think you guys are handling the experience in a good manner. Please don't change that. :)
Consent with “kids” is everything, Mrs.A was deff old enough to consent no doubt, she’s so mature & became so well spoken in her time with you & grew so much 😭 Hopefully she’s reading the comments & she knows how much she’s supported & loved & how much we will miss her journey!
She sort of became part of the channel with time, I will miss her even if the channel clearly wasn't about her but foster care, hope she's having a great time home and is happy
What I’d really want if Miss A is up to it is like a 5-10 year life update when she’s grown....I think she’s going to make a big “splash” in the world whatever she chooses to do in her life, but I want that update whether she’s a celebrity hair stylist, amazing teacher/caregiver, mom, Senator or whatever it is she wants to be haha. ☺️💙
I'm here from the algorithm! The first video of yours I watched was the night I moved to a new state, totally on my own. I sat on the floor of my unfurnished apartment and watched the rest of your videos and have been here ever since! I've loved watching your videos as I went from totally alone to finding a community of my own. It's been so great to watch your family grow, with your joys and challenges and your huge heart for advocacy
Now that you’ve had a more longer term placement, can you talk about how you think you’ll navigate staying in touch? Will you be proactive in initiating communication? Or would you leave it up to the foster family/child to initiate communication? Is there any thing that would be crossing a line after reunification? Ex: sending gifts, in person visits, hiring Miss A as a babysitter for your date night.
Whitney, I unfourtnately have an open case with CPS due to domestic violence all I do is educate my self daily and research the corruption of the broken system. The truth about DCFS, CPS AND ALL OF THE OTHER KNOWN AGENCIES needs to shared and educate the world of the corruption of legal kidnapping happening daily! I wish you would share some of those issues and be real that foster care isn't what your show looks like you and your beautiful family are amazing!! This is what foster parenting should be like You are all for REUNIFICATION and I love thst! You are so real and THE SYSTEM NEEDS MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU and YOUR BEAUTIFUL FAMILY. Is your Agency truly a good one?
I know you'll get people criticizing your choices no matter what you do. Your channel is super respectful of miss a and her family. I'm excited to see what is coming for your family.
I am so glad to hear your agency was okay with the channel. This has really been an amazing resource. You and John have handled this very well and respectfully. I look forward to seeing your family grow.
Miss A will always have the vlogs to look back on and remember that during the most stressful event in her life, and the lives of her siblings, she was cared for by people that truly cared about her and her family. I’m really pulling for them, I can only imagine the relief mom & dad are experiencing having their family all back together. Those early days were undoubtedly the scariest, terrifying moments of their lives. Look how far they’ve all come! Whitney, John, an aspect of your channel that I deeply appreciated and respect, is that you always had good energy, and intentions towards Miss A’s family. Not one thing was ever defamatory, or even biased in one direction or another. That is something that I truly learned from you two. There was never any show boating, or attention seeking- “look how great we are”. Not all channels are capable of keeping things in perspective. I hope you, Darcy, John, and Sawyer are adjusting and enjoying some self care time, but I also hope you are preparing your minds and hearts for another child in need, because we all know that your family will all do their part to embrace them. I got ALL IN MY FEELS OVER HERE LOL 😂 Sorry if it was too sappy, I just truly love what you all are doing.
Honestly I think the vlogs wil be important for her when she wants to look back and think about how her time was in foster care and too if she ever has sad or lonely days. I think the way they have made the videos was very good and they managed to respect her privacy at the same time as she was a part of the family.
As a former dhs foster to adopt kid, I’m glad I found your channel. My fiancé and I have been talking about fostering soon in the future to help kids the way I was helped.
"Everyone could be a foster parent not everyone should be a foster parent" Very very true! I've watched many of your videos and I think you do a terrific job. We've been foster parents for years and we love our private agency. Our agency has no problem with videos like yours at all, they too have minor stipulations. Most of the stipulations have to do with privacy, we don't personally do videos but we are so glad that you are sharing. Spreading the word about the need for foster parents is important, helping people know all that's involved with care is terrific.
I don’t live in your state but have friends that do. They became first time foster parents in the second half of 2020 and are doing amazing. If it weren’t for your channel I really wouldn’t understand what they were going through and dealing with. Thank you for bringing awareness and such positivity to a sensitive situation!
I found you guys because I was looking for information on foster care, I think while we were in classes a year and a half ago. I have often admired how much you were able to keep private, while allowing us to get to know you guys. I've loved following your journey, there aren't a ton of channels that talk about foster care.
I'm so glad you told the agency and her parents. I think that was the right decision. You've definitely proven your doing it for the right reasons. I can understand people being skeptical at first. There has been a lot of kids being exploited over the years for money on TH-cam.
Life has so many twists and turns, peaks and valleys. I hope you are in a good place in life now. Just wanted to send you a little extra love, our inner child always deserves to be loved and cared for even in adulthood. The good news is, now you get to take care of that child in the way you always craved. God bless 🥰
I loved the episode where Miss A got a new dress and she was showing it the camera. She looked so beautiful and you could tell she felt beautiful. She seemed to be a very sweet girl and I wish her and her family good luck going forward. God bless your family and hers.
I'm planning on fostering in the near future, and I have a child at home still, too, so i love seeing these videos with you balancing your own children and your foster children.
I REALLY wish we had more foster parents like you at the agency I work for (transportation aide not worker lol). There are so many fosters that should NOT be fosters and are NOT in it for reunification. They give us attitude and cause issues every step of the way. It would be amazing if they could all be like you.
We found your channel a couple videos before Miss A going into your home and really like how informative and positive you guys are. Love watching and learning about something that might be in our future from a family like yours ❤️
Thank you for all the work you put into this channel. It is so informative about what goes into foster care, the challenges and the high points. I think you share enough of the child background to keep it personable while still maintaining their anonymity and respect of their privacy. It can't be easy running youtube channels, working, maintaining lifestyles while raising your own and bonus children but please know you have done so much in the way of growing the foster community and helping people of finding ways to help foster kids. You guys are amazing little humans with such kind hearts and a drive to help others. To Miss A, I am so happy you have been able to reunite with your family, I wish you all the very best and hope you all had a fantastic time celebrating the holidays together. You are an amazing young woman and the world is your oyster.
I really appreciate how great you are with keeping you're foster kids privacy. And also all the kids feelings on the videos posted. Thier are so many youtubers that seem like they are using thier kids and making them perform. Good job!
I’ve been here since Miss I. Love this channel so much. As someone from a difficult home situation, I’m also blind and I would love to be a foster parent someday.
Thank you for all you have done for foster kids! My son and family fostered for several years and through that I gained twin granddaughter’s. I also have several other kids etched in my heart from the foster journey. You are amazing! Even through the hard and difficult days you continue to provide a home and love! It has been interesting to watch the foster kids as they have become adults come back to my son And DIL to spend time with them and bring their children as well! Anyway...May the Lord give you strength and fill your hearts with an overflowing love ❤️
My 2yr old foster son goes to kindship tomorrow morning and although a good thing, our family is already feeling the loss. Foster care parenting is not for the for the faint of heart. Thanks for the videos whitney and John ♥️
I bet it's even harder than fostering animals and that's hard AF. Stay strong and just keep repeating the mantra "it's the best thing for him" . I have no other advice, sorry =/ It's so hard to get them,nurture them, see them making progress and then have to let them go. Do you guys at least get to be in contact with the family? And if so is it only on their terms? I have a cat who's family is in pretty close contact for years, it's amazing. Most only stay in touch for a little bit. Can only imagine how much harder it is with a human child who's been with you for a long time! Especially if you raised them from an infant. But hey, you knew what you signed up for 😜 You also know you're tough enough to handle it! After all another child NEEDS YOU. You gotta keep going for them all. Remain strong and awesome! 👍
@@d-meth oh yes! I started fostering with animals ♥️ through that process, I ended up with 4 dogs, a cat, and a turtle 🤣 Contact would be up to the kinship/bio mama, as kinship is her aunt. So we will see. I’ve spent countless hours chatting with her and so I’m hopeful she will be open to it. I definitely knew what I was getting into and had a very clear understanding of foster care and such, but ya it never gets easy. My husband is already crying this evening. But kinship will put our foster son under the same roof as his 2 brothers and so it will be a wonderful thing for him. But our family will miss him oh so much. And yes, there are more kiddos out there and our home will be open to them ♥️
I have been here since your very first video which was ‘why we decided to foster’. I’m only 19 but I have always been interested in foster care and adoption. It’s amazing to see how far you’ve come just 2 years! Love from Australia xx
While I can't pinpoint the exact moment I joined the village, I am fairly certain yall only had 3 or 4 videos at the time. I was also in Hawaii when you had your first live stream, so it is a memory that will stick with me. I am so glad you have the pressure off your shoulders now. I've said it before but am so grateful to be here, a part of this community and I look forward to watching your journey as you move forward as foster parents to kids and teens in need.
I am a foster parent... our first male 14yr child was rebellious ...it has been hard but he is getting better. It takes a patience person to deal with these kids.
I really have big respect for you two. I have commented before about my false removal of my children and how they were placed with an addict/convicted felon. The false removal was hard enough. On everyone. But the placement was insane. They revoked his license and reinstated it a week later. Both children severely abused physically and emotionally and my daughter sexually abused. Social workers knew about it all and tried to sweep it under the rug with adoption. They fudged assessments and removed my children from counseling once my then 4 year old daughter suggested sexual abuse. I hired a lawyer and sued everyone after I beat TPR and won my suit. I feel that you having this channel draws in better potential foster parents. Although CPS is corrupt everywhere, we still need amazing foster parents to help soften the blow. We NEED people like you to help out. I appreciate you two but will never trust the system. One big money making scheme, legal kidnapping ring. Thank you for your genuine love and care and spreading the word on good foster parents.
I love the way you all love Miss A and her family. What an incredibly special bond. I firmly believe people are put in our lives for a reason. Do you know if Miss A will start a channel of her own? If she does would you asking her if she minds us that want to follow her can?
Been here since Whitney was pregnant with Sawyer.... I have learned SO much from ya'll. Before visiting your channel, I knew little about how the goal of fostering is reunification, when possible. You've helped me gain empathy for parents whose kids are placed in the system. I admire you both so much, and I just love your little family. ❤
I'm glad that this went over smoothly for you. I have seen other examples from foster parents in other circumstances that were only allowed private social media pages and got their sharing brought up in court every time. There were also other factors and they were in a different system, but I was still a little concerned this might get used against you because, as you said, some people associate family channels with exploitation or bad parenting. Again, I'm happy for you and hope you have a great day!
So glad you have that weight off your shoulder! In other news, we just began the application process for a private agency to become licensed foster parents. We will likely start with respite care because the ultimate goal is to adopt a teen for whom reunification is not possible, but who knows. We’ve got time to figure it out. Your channel has been such a huge help and I’m so thankful that I found y’all and that y’all share so much of your lives with us!
I think I had listened to all your videos while in research. And then when Miss A came and the videos were in my recommended, I decided to subscribe. It tends to take me forever of having a channel come up again and again before I subscribe, but this time I needed to stay up to date so I subbed
I am from Australia and work at a agency in Out of home care (kinship) but also have done some assistance in foster care through after hours on call. I also would like to foster in the future I love seeing what fostering is like from a carers perspective especially in a different country :)
Great explanations - its great people want to be supportive and understand why these kids are with you or why they do what they do but they get kinda snippy when you deny the request or in some cases expectation. I get this alot with ours. My life is logistics and paperwork lol. some days i wonder why i have a house - it would be easier to live in an rv - I'd at least get things done while waiting lol. We have an outside agency too -here it is contracted out to many different agencies who specialize in different needs. The government just doesnt have the manpower to do it all.
I have so much respect for you and John and the reason you foster and the way you foster. Let me explain that statement. I know a couple thst started fostering because they were unable to have children of tgeir own and hoped to adopt one day. However after their first foster placement and they started getting the monthly reimbursement checks for the child they decided to take in more foster children to increase their monthly income. They eventually ended up with at one time 6 I believe long term placements and I will just say that it was not a good situation in my or other people's opinions. The children all grew up with multiple issues that we all believe we compounded by emotional neglect on their foster parents part. Money should never be a motivation to help a child....truly sad.
Some people are so overly critical. If this isn't the channel for you that's fine but this family literally have mandated reporters in and out all the time. If they were doing ANYTHING even a tiny bit wrong they'd be picked up on it instantly. They've gone about this is the most respectful, confidential, and informative way possible. It's a major bank of knowledge to people in the situation but also a great advocacy tool for those that may have no interactions with the foster community.
I’m a year deep into being a foster parent and it’s very hard, on the kid and on me. I definitely think if you’re single, you really should put a lot of thought into if you can handle it. In my situation it wasn’t really a choice. It started as a kinship situation so there was no warning or planning. I’m not sure if id be able to do this outside of family being single and working full time. I agree not everyone should do it.
The first comment I made on your channel was complimenting you on how well you balance having a family and children centric channel without making your content focused on your kids (including fosters). I really think your agency needs to use this video to teach consent when it comes to children in foster care or even children in general. People feel such an "ownership" over children when really we're more steward. My daughter is my step turned adopted and I never felt like she was "mine" and I could just make decisions without considering her. Not that we, her parents, didn't make any decisions for her but I just feel like you can tell the parents that don't really think about what their kids think or feel. Anyway that was just a long way to say, your family is awesome and you make your piece of the universe better!
I have a random question, and I'm sure it varies by area, but if a foster child comes to you with a really specific diet, like gluten free, vegan, deadly allergies, etc. do the agencies offer any support in accommodating those diets?
I have been here from beginning and I plan on staying! I know you do what you do what you do for the love of kids! And you truly love them and it is not for the money. Too many are! You go T it right and carding and loving people! Good talk! I do not think I would share who Miss A is even when she is older she has younger siblings longs to think of. I have watched other families with foster kids but they adopted the kids but did not show faces either blurred or now can have them wear a mask. One family started showing the teens faces but the case manager said it was ok plus going to court next month for adoption. They knew since they got them they were going to adopt them. They changed their names, so not to have everyone know the real ones. The ones they are using now as first names will be their new names. But that was the kids choice.
I'm so angry at my niece who has seven children and ALL of them are in foster care. She refuses to do anything to get them back! She just even had a newborn baby that she couldn't take home after giving birth. Unfortunately, I couldn't take them because we live in different cities.
Honestly that is when the courts need to step in and force sterilization. I know that sounds extreme but it is sometimes needed. I know a family that had 14 kids each taken when the child was about 1 or 2. Eventually the family of this girl were to old to take any more of her kids and they had to go out and get adopted outside of the family.
So happy for you allthats everything is now in the open and everything is recieved so well at all sides. any collabs with the private agency in the future? for instance a interview how they as an organisation try to get foster parents and how they try to find the best match for the fosterchildren etc?
You all took exceptional care of Miss A, so this is no intended criticism. I'm just genuinely surprised no one had to consent to her being in your videos with her being under 18. I assumed the agency knew from the beginning and her parents as well. But, it sounds like it wasn't an issue with anyone - so that is good.
You should watch the video Dhar Mann put out today (1-12-21), with a title that starts, "Evil Foster Mother..." Watch all the way until he puts up the moral of the story at the end. After that is just all the "like and subscribe," and credits stuff. Caution: may make blood boil.
@@BeTheVillageCommunity oh I get it now. you just listen to the people who make those decisions for your stance. Most likely as long as your never given a reason to not trust those expertise. I didn't think of you as being impartial except if a major serious reason to voice your concerns. I know you would if you thought it was best for your foster children. I love how eloquent and respectful your channel is to these babies. It shows your not here for "clout" hate that word lol
Hi Whitney! So I live in the same school district as you and I was wondering if your agency has signs around town with their name and number? I saw one by the high school and didn’t know if it’s the one you’re with. My husband and I have been considering fostering and as we do our research I want to include your agency. I’m being vague because I’m not sure if they want to be named on YT. 😊
Do you plan on sticking with "Miss A" as the code name given to your female foster children in the future. I was thinking you might change it to "Miss B" and so on so we can know who exactly you are talking about. If you have several Miss A's it will be more difficult to know which Miss A you are talking about if you are trying to give us an update on a previous foster placement. I am really excited to see your journey going forward and learn a little bit about the children you help and what it is like to be a foster parent. I am really considering becoming a single foster parent when I move out of my parents house. I live in the Indianapolis area.
People need to realize that Miss A is a TEEN! She's a mature teen, yes, but a teen. We don't need to see her face and know her name. She didn't ask for any of this (being in foster care, being placed in a family with a channel). We can adore her and root for her family (Hey, Miss A and family! We're cheering you on SO HARD!) while WANTING her to be anonymous so that she is in control of her own narrative now and later on.
Well said KM!
"Everyone CAN be a foster-parent, not everyone SHOULD be." 👏👏👏
So much this. I am an autism educator and have psychology background. I know special needs kids really need foster parents who are understanding. However, I have a 24 year old son on the spectrum who will always live at home, who has the emotional maturity of an elementary school kid. Not putting a foster kid into this environment.
@@suzannadannaTARDIS My cousin on my dad's side of the family works at a school that is a special needs school.
@@kayleegoff141 That is a calling. I spent a year teaching computers to kids on the spectrum when I started my doctoral program.
I'm an instructional designer, but my research is into how to teach abstract reasoning skills to kids with ASDs . They think in very concrete ways, and when they get to middle and high school, they struggle with algebra, math, and deductive reasoning exercises in language arts. I'm hoping what I do helps.
@@suzannadannaTARDIS I am autistic so I know some of the things we deal with. I was always the person entrusted with people's children to watch. For me personally, I was helping raise caring kids who learned empathy. Don't fully discount yourself if there are no safety issues. You sound like you would be a great foster home.
@@Makingofabetterlife Kandi, he has explosive outbursts and will yell incessantly for an hour. I am not thrilled with it, but I am an adult who knows what I'm dealing with. It's just not right to put a child through that who is already uprooted from their situation.
People are asking to see miss A's face? Rude! I'm super glad to see Miss A go home. Even though her fostering experience was extremely positive I don't think it's right to forever have her face/name connected with her foster experience on the internet. I encourage her to create an online persona completely separate from your channel. If a future employer/boss/teacher googles her they shouldn't be able to know she was in a foster home when she was 15. It should be something she has the choice to share, not information about her at your fingertips.
I think you guys are handling the experience in a good manner. Please don't change that. :)
Totally agree
Consent with “kids” is everything, Mrs.A was deff old enough to consent no doubt, she’s so mature & became so well spoken in her time with you & grew so much 😭 Hopefully she’s reading the comments & she knows how much she’s supported & loved & how much we will miss her journey!
She sort of became part of the channel with time, I will miss her even if the channel clearly wasn't about her but foster care, hope she's having a great time home and is happy
What I’d really want if Miss A is up to it is like a 5-10 year life update when she’s grown....I think she’s going to make a big “splash” in the world whatever she chooses to do in her life, but I want that update whether she’s a celebrity hair stylist, amazing teacher/caregiver, mom, Senator or whatever it is she wants to be haha. ☺️💙
I'm here from the algorithm! The first video of yours I watched was the night I moved to a new state, totally on my own. I sat on the floor of my unfurnished apartment and watched the rest of your videos and have been here ever since! I've loved watching your videos as I went from totally alone to finding a community of my own. It's been so great to watch your family grow, with your joys and challenges and your huge heart for advocacy
Love this ❤️❤️❤️
Now that you’ve had a more longer term placement, can you talk about how you think you’ll navigate staying in touch?
Will you be proactive in initiating communication? Or would you leave it up to the foster family/child to initiate communication?
Is there any thing that would be crossing a line after reunification? Ex: sending gifts, in person visits, hiring Miss A as a babysitter for your date night.
Stacy Hoefert Good questions! I’m curious to know the answers as well!
Good question and possible a future diary entry ❤️
I love how much you care for Miss A and any foster child in your family. It is honestly such a breath of fresh air
Whitney, I unfourtnately have an open case with CPS due to domestic violence all I do is educate my self daily and research the corruption of the broken system. The truth about DCFS, CPS AND ALL OF THE OTHER KNOWN AGENCIES needs to shared and educate the world of the corruption of legal kidnapping happening daily!
I wish you would share some of those issues and be real that foster care isn't what your show looks like you and your beautiful family are amazing!! This is what foster parenting should be like
You are all for REUNIFICATION and I love thst! You are so real and THE SYSTEM NEEDS MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU and YOUR BEAUTIFUL FAMILY.
Is your Agency truly a good one?
I know you'll get people criticizing your choices no matter what you do. Your channel is super respectful of miss a and her family. I'm excited to see what is coming for your family.
This channel is long overdue. There is a crisis in our nation ( opioid) and huge need for good foster families.
Thank you!
I am so glad to hear your agency was okay with the channel. This has really been an amazing resource. You and John have handled this very well and respectfully. I look forward to seeing your family grow.
Miss A will always have the vlogs to look back on and remember that during the most stressful event in her life, and the lives of her siblings, she was cared for by people that truly cared about her and her family. I’m really pulling for them, I can only imagine the relief mom & dad are experiencing having their family all back together. Those early days were undoubtedly the scariest, terrifying moments of their lives. Look how far they’ve all come! Whitney, John, an aspect of your channel that I deeply appreciated and respect, is that you always had good energy, and intentions towards Miss A’s family. Not one thing was ever defamatory, or even biased in one direction or another. That is something that I truly learned from you two. There was never any show boating, or attention seeking- “look how great we are”. Not all channels are capable of keeping things in perspective.
I hope you, Darcy, John, and Sawyer are adjusting and enjoying some self care time, but I also hope you are preparing your minds and hearts for another child in need, because we all know that your family will all do their part to embrace them. I got ALL IN MY FEELS OVER HERE LOL 😂 Sorry if it was too sappy, I just truly love what you all are doing.
Honestly I think the vlogs wil be important for her when she wants to look back and think about how her time was in foster care and too if she ever has sad or lonely days. I think the way they have made the videos was very good and they managed to respect her privacy at the same time as she was a part of the family.
We need more foster family's.Your channel teaches us about fostering.The real truth of it.I love it!
Agreed. It's also extremely helpful when Whitney and John share how we can help in other ways.
As a former dhs foster to adopt kid, I’m glad I found your channel. My fiancé and I have been talking about fostering soon in the future to help kids the way I was helped.
"Everyone could be a foster parent not everyone should be a foster parent"
Very very true!
I've watched many of your videos and I think you do a terrific job. We've been foster parents for years and we love our private agency.
Our agency has no problem with videos like yours at all, they too have minor stipulations. Most of the stipulations have to do with privacy, we don't personally do videos but we are so glad that you are sharing. Spreading the word about the need for foster parents is important, helping people know all that's involved with care is terrific.
When you ran it back for those in the back🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Louder!!! Lol
I don’t live in your state but have friends that do. They became first time foster parents in the second half of 2020 and are doing amazing. If it weren’t for your channel I really wouldn’t understand what they were going through and dealing with. Thank you for bringing awareness and such positivity to a sensitive situation!
Being a forester parent is a wonderful way to help families when they need it. I now am 62 and blind so I cant do it anymore god bless you
I found you guys because I was looking for information on foster care, I think while we were in classes a year and a half ago. I have often admired how much you were able to keep private, while allowing us to get to know you guys. I've loved following your journey, there aren't a ton of channels that talk about foster care.
I'm so glad you told the agency and her parents. I think that was the right decision. You've definitely proven your doing it for the right reasons. I can understand people being skeptical at first. There has been a lot of kids being exploited over the years for money on TH-cam.
When I was in foster care, I honestly wish I would’ve had a foster family like yours💙💙💙💙
Life has so many twists and turns, peaks and valleys. I hope you are in a good place in life now. Just wanted to send you a little extra love, our inner child always deserves to be loved and cared for even in adulthood. The good news is, now you get to take care of that child in the way you always craved. God bless 🥰
I loved the episode where Miss A got a new dress and she was showing it the camera. She looked so beautiful and you could tell she felt beautiful. She seemed to be a very sweet girl and I wish her and her family good luck going forward. God bless your family and hers.
I'm planning on fostering in the near future, and I have a child at home still, too, so i love seeing these videos with you balancing your own children and your foster children.
Happy that everything has worked out -regarding letting people know about the channel.
I start watching right before Miss A came into your home. I've learned so much! Thank you
So sad to see Miss A leave your family but super happy she's home with her family now. 💕
I REALLY wish we had more foster parents like you at the agency I work for (transportation aide not worker lol). There are so many fosters that should NOT be fosters and are NOT in it for reunification. They give us attitude and cause issues every step of the way. It would be amazing if they could all be like you.
We found your channel a couple videos before Miss A going into your home and really like how informative and positive you guys are. Love watching and learning about something that might be in our future from a family like yours ❤️
Thank you for being with us for so long ❤️
Thank you for all the work you put into this channel. It is so informative about what goes into foster care, the challenges and the high points. I think you share enough of the child background to keep it personable while still maintaining their anonymity and respect of their privacy.
It can't be easy running youtube channels, working, maintaining lifestyles while raising your own and bonus children but please know you have done so much in the way of growing the foster community and helping people of finding ways to help foster kids. You guys are amazing little humans with such kind hearts and a drive to help others.
To Miss A, I am so happy you have been able to reunite with your family, I wish you all the very best and hope you all had a fantastic time celebrating the holidays together. You are an amazing young woman and the world is your oyster.
I really appreciate how great you are with keeping you're foster kids privacy. And also all the kids feelings on the videos posted. Thier are so many youtubers that seem like they are using thier kids and making them perform. Good job!
So glad it’s okay with your agency. You have such a special message you share!
I’ve been here since Miss I. Love this channel so much. As someone from a difficult home situation, I’m also blind and I would love to be a foster parent someday.
Thank you for all you have done for foster kids! My son and family fostered for several years and through that I gained twin granddaughter’s. I also have several other kids etched in my heart from the foster journey. You are amazing! Even through the hard and difficult days you continue to provide a home and love! It has been interesting to watch the foster kids as they have become adults come back to my son And DIL to spend time with them and bring their children as well! Anyway...May the Lord give you strength and fill your hearts with an overflowing love ❤️
My 2yr old foster son goes to kindship tomorrow morning and although a good thing, our family is already feeling the loss. Foster care parenting is not for the for the faint of heart. Thanks for the videos whitney and John ♥️
I bet it's even harder than fostering animals and that's hard AF.
Stay strong and just keep repeating the mantra "it's the best thing for him" .
I have no other advice, sorry =/
It's so hard to get them,nurture them, see them making progress and then have to let them go.
Do you guys at least get to be in contact with the family? And if so is it only on their terms?
I have a cat who's family is in pretty close contact for years, it's amazing.
Most only stay in touch for a little bit.
Can only imagine how much harder it is with a human child who's been with you for a long time! Especially if you raised them from an infant.
But hey, you knew what you signed up for 😜
You also know you're tough enough to handle it!
After all another child NEEDS YOU.
You gotta keep going for them all.
Remain strong and awesome! 👍
@@d-meth oh yes! I started fostering with animals ♥️ through that process, I ended up with 4 dogs, a cat, and a turtle 🤣
Contact would be up to the kinship/bio mama, as kinship is her aunt. So we will see. I’ve spent countless hours chatting with her and so I’m hopeful she will be open to it.
I definitely knew what I was getting into and had a very clear understanding of foster care and such, but ya it never gets easy. My husband is already crying this evening. But kinship will put our foster son under the same roof as his 2 brothers and so it will be a wonderful thing for him. But our family will miss him oh so much. And yes, there are more kiddos out there and our home will be open to them ♥️
Katherine...I'm sending positive vibes to you and your family as you navigate this transition!!!
I have been here since your very first video which was ‘why we decided to foster’. I’m only 19 but I have always been interested in foster care and adoption. It’s amazing to see how far you’ve come just 2 years! Love from Australia xx
While I can't pinpoint the exact moment I joined the village, I am fairly certain yall only had 3 or 4 videos at the time. I was also in Hawaii when you had your first live stream, so it is a memory that will stick with me. I am so glad you have the pressure off your shoulders now.
I've said it before but am so grateful to be here, a part of this community and I look forward to watching your journey as you move forward as foster parents to kids and teens in need.
Love your videos. We have three little bonus kiddos. It’s sooooo nice to see y’all video your lives, it helps me feel not alone on this journey.
I am a foster parent... our first male 14yr child was rebellious ...it has been hard but he is getting better. It takes a patience person to deal with these kids.
Patience, absolutely
I really have big respect for you two. I have commented before about my false removal of my children and how they were placed with an addict/convicted felon. The false removal was hard enough. On everyone. But the placement was insane. They revoked his license and reinstated it a week later. Both children severely abused physically and emotionally and my daughter sexually abused. Social workers knew about it all and tried to sweep it under the rug with adoption. They fudged assessments and removed my children from counseling once my then 4 year old daughter suggested sexual abuse. I hired a lawyer and sued everyone after I beat TPR and won my suit. I feel that you having this channel draws in better potential foster parents. Although CPS is corrupt everywhere, we still need amazing foster parents to help soften the blow. We NEED people like you to help out. I appreciate you two but will never trust the system. One big money making scheme, legal kidnapping ring. Thank you for your genuine love and care and spreading the word on good foster parents.
I love the way you all love Miss A and her family. What an incredibly special bond. I firmly believe people are put in our lives for a reason. Do you know if Miss A will start a channel of her own? If she does would you asking her if she minds us that want to follow her can?
She’s thought about it
@@BeTheVillageCommunity That would be amazing and her channel would already be off to a pretty amazing start. Please let us know.
U 2 have been doing a wonderful job. Just keep doing what you’ve been doing & everything will be fine.
Whitney’s honesty is everything tho! 💯
I try 💁🏻♀️
Been here since Whitney was pregnant with Sawyer.... I have learned SO much from ya'll. Before visiting your channel, I knew little about how the goal of fostering is reunification, when possible. You've helped me gain empathy for parents whose kids are placed in the system. I admire you both so much, and I just love your little family. ❤
I love your channel so much. You guys are really great about sharing all the stuff that really matters.
I'm glad that this went over smoothly for you. I have seen other examples from foster parents in other circumstances that were only allowed private social media pages and got their sharing brought up in court every time. There were also other factors and they were in a different system, but I was still a little concerned this might get used against you because, as you said, some people associate family channels with exploitation or bad parenting. Again, I'm happy for you and hope you have a great day!
Your foster daughter is a amazing person to talk too she is really amazing , she always makes me laugh on Instagram
I love you and your family so so much excited for all the foster parent diaries!
So glad you have that weight off your shoulder!
In other news, we just began the application process for a private agency to become licensed foster parents. We will likely start with respite care because the ultimate goal is to adopt a teen for whom reunification is not possible, but who knows. We’ve got time to figure it out. Your channel has been such a huge help and I’m so thankful that I found y’all and that y’all share so much of your lives with us!
So love to hear this!!! Thank you for sharing your updates ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you so much for this content!
Welcome :)
Miss A ❤️ miss her so much
I hope everything is going good for her
Beautiful! I respect every word you shared and am so grateful you’ve chosen to share your experiences with the foster system with us. God Bless!
I think I had listened to all your videos while in research. And then when Miss A came and the videos were in my recommended, I decided to subscribe. It tends to take me forever of having a channel come up again and again before I subscribe, but this time I needed to stay up to date so I subbed
I am from Australia and work at a agency in Out of home care (kinship) but also have done some assistance in foster care through after hours on call. I also would like to foster in the future
I love seeing what fostering is like from a carers perspective especially in a different country :)
Thank you so much for watching Brooke ❤️
Been with y’all since you got the call about your first foster daughter! I remember the video with Darcy’s sunglasses upside down 😂
I am so happy for your family and Miss A and her family
Great explanations - its great people want to be supportive and understand why these kids are with you or why they do what they do but they get kinda snippy when you deny the request or in some cases expectation. I get this alot with ours. My life is logistics and paperwork lol. some days i wonder why i have a house - it would be easier to live in an rv - I'd at least get things done while waiting lol. We have an outside agency too -here it is contracted out to many different agencies who specialize in different needs. The government just doesnt have the manpower to do it all.
I have so much respect for you and John and the reason you foster and the way you foster.
Let me explain that statement. I know a couple thst started fostering because they were unable to have children of tgeir own and hoped to adopt one day. However after their first foster placement and they started getting the monthly reimbursement checks for the child they decided to take in more foster children to increase their monthly income. They eventually ended up with at one time 6 I believe long term placements and I will just say that it was not a good situation in my or other people's opinions. The children all grew up with multiple issues that we all believe we compounded by emotional neglect on their foster parents part.
Money should never be a motivation to help a child....truly sad.
you are amazing and have made me want to foster.. Keep up the great work!!!
Congratulations! I'm sure it feels great to move into the next stage with the support of your agency, and to know what the parameters are!
Some people are so overly critical. If this isn't the channel for you that's fine but this family literally have mandated reporters in and out all the time. If they were doing ANYTHING even a tiny bit wrong they'd be picked up on it instantly. They've gone about this is the most respectful, confidential, and informative way possible. It's a major bank of knowledge to people in the situation but also a great advocacy tool for those that may have no interactions with the foster community.
Thank you for your fierce loyalty for us!
I’m a year deep into being a foster parent and it’s very hard, on the kid and on me. I definitely think if you’re single, you really should put a lot of thought into if you can handle it. In my situation it wasn’t really a choice. It started as a kinship situation so there was no warning or planning. I’m not sure if id be able to do this outside of family being single and working full time. I agree not everyone should do it.
The first comment I made on your channel was complimenting you on how well you balance having a family and children centric channel without making your content focused on your kids (including fosters).
I really think your agency needs to use this video to teach consent when it comes to children in foster care or even children in general. People feel such an "ownership" over children when really we're more steward. My daughter is my step turned adopted and I never felt like she was "mine" and I could just make decisions without considering her. Not that we, her parents, didn't make any decisions for her but I just feel like you can tell the parents that don't really think about what their kids think or feel.
Anyway that was just a long way to say, your family is awesome and you make your piece of the universe better!
I have a random question, and I'm sure it varies by area, but if a foster child comes to you with a really specific diet, like gluten free, vegan, deadly allergies, etc. do the agencies offer any support in accommodating those diets?
I have been here from beginning and I plan on staying! I know you do what you do what you do for the love of kids! And you truly love them and it is not for the money. Too many are! You go T it right and carding and loving people! Good talk! I do not think I would share who Miss A is even when she is older she has younger siblings longs to think of. I have watched other families with foster kids but they adopted the kids but did not show faces either blurred or now can have them wear a mask. One family started showing the teens faces but the case manager said it was ok plus going to court next month for adoption. They knew since they got them they were going to adopt them. They changed their names, so not to have everyone know the real ones. The ones they are using now as first names will be their new names. But that was the kids choice.
I'm so angry at my niece who has seven children and ALL of them are in foster care. She refuses to do anything to get them back! She just even had a newborn baby that she couldn't take home after giving birth. Unfortunately, I couldn't take them because we live in different cities.
Honestly that is when the courts need to step in and force sterilization. I know that sounds extreme but it is sometimes needed. I know a family that had 14 kids each taken when the child was about 1 or 2. Eventually the family of this girl were to old to take any more of her kids and they had to go out and get adopted outside of the family.
I love following you guys! You have such a sweet family and I feel like I have learned so much.
So happy for you allthats everything is now in the open and everything is recieved so well at all sides. any collabs with the private agency in the future? for instance a interview how they as an organisation try to get foster parents and how they try to find the best match for the fosterchildren etc?
The agency would like to remain unnamed.
You guys are so lovely and caring. When are going to foster another child are you still waiting
What's the number one thing you feel is important to do when dealing with the biological parents of your foster kids when there in your home?
Have an open heart and open communication
would love to know more about researching agencies and how to choose. We are starting to look in the Chicago area and don't know how to pick.
I’ve been here since the beginning 🙋🏻♀️
You should make a podcast!
Do you plan on telling your next foster child's family about your channel right away or will you wait until it comes up like you did with Miss A?
It will just depend on the kid and situation
Who disliked the video? And why did they dislike it?
Thank you Whitney!
With any new placements will their families be aware of the channel from the start? Ie...like if they don't want the child on camera at all.
Too early to tell and too many factors to answer
Wow you guys have grown my oh my awsome
You all took exceptional care of Miss A, so this is no intended criticism. I'm just genuinely surprised no one had to consent to her being in your videos with her being under 18. I assumed the agency knew from the beginning and her parents as well. But, it sounds like it wasn't an issue with anyone - so that is good.
Due to her age and development and the precautions it was within the realm of prudent parenting.
Hold up! Whitney?? Your name is Whitney!? How have i been watching since before miss A and not know till now
Me too 😳
Is your private agency only in the other county?
No but the way it works they get most referrals from the Cincinnati county
Are you open to having LGBT teens?
100000000%%% 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈
I was a foster kid
👋🏼❤️
So, random question, will your next foster child be Miss or Mister B?
I believe the A was her first initial. So I bet they will go with the child's first initial.
❤️
You should watch the video Dhar Mann put out today (1-12-21), with a title that starts, "Evil Foster Mother..." Watch all the way until he puts up the moral of the story at the end. After that is just all the "like and subscribe," and credits stuff. Caution: may make blood boil.
Have you ever thought about adopting?
We are open to it
would you ever not support reunification? I am sure you can think of certain situations in which that would not be the best option. Sadly...
If reunification is still the goal, then as a foster parent we will do everything we can to support it.
@@BeTheVillageCommunity oh I get it now. you just listen to the people who make those decisions for your stance. Most likely as long as your never given a reason to not trust those expertise. I didn't think of you as being impartial except if a major serious reason to voice your concerns. I know you would if you thought it was best for your foster children. I love how eloquent and respectful your channel is to these babies. It shows your not here for "clout" hate that word lol
Hi Whitney! So I live in the same school district as you and I was wondering if your agency has signs around town with their name and number? I saw one by the high school and didn’t know if it’s the one you’re with. My husband and I have been considering fostering and as we do our research I want to include your agency. I’m being vague because I’m not sure if they want to be named on YT. 😊
Correct, they do not want to be named. I do not believe that is the same agency. Send me a message through Instagram!
I don't need to now her face or name she should remain anonymous if she would like
Do you plan on sticking with "Miss A" as the code name given to your female foster children in the future. I was thinking you might change it to "Miss B" and so on so we can know who exactly you are talking about. If you have several Miss A's it will be more difficult to know which Miss A you are talking about if you are trying to give us an update on a previous foster placement. I am really excited to see your journey going forward and learn a little bit about the children you help and what it is like to be a foster parent. I am really considering becoming a single foster parent when I move out of my parents house. I live in the Indianapolis area.
Not entirely sure yet
Hi how are you
Hello ❤️
👋🏼
First like !!