[mommy2fiveplus]

I am incredibly fed up with people who "judge a book by its cover". I went to the state police post to ask a question about carseat law because I have 6 kids under 6 and all are in 5 pt harnesses (I bought Sunshine Kids Radian80) while in our Suburban but that is impossible when we I drive our compact and I never know which kids will be with me. I wanted to clarify a law so I knew how best to protect my kids in the vehicle without breaking the law or buying a $300 carseat to hopefully keep from breaking the law (one of my kids is HUGE for her size but is still the age to be rear-faced).

ANYWAY, I am 26, a nurse and live on a horse farm. I own scrubs, jeans, t-shirts and hoodies. I may own a dress or two but no one has died or got married so I haven't needed them. So I arrived at the police station in jeans and a t-shirt post-grocery shopping. When I tried to explain my situation to the police officer (lady, mid 50's) all she could say was "arn't you a little young to have 5 kids, esspesially if you can't afford to buy a carseat?"

I was floored. All she could see was this young women who she probably equated with white trash! I am used to people being suprised that I do foster-care at such a young age and even that I have 5 kids of my own (adopted and bio) but never had I recieved that kind of response. When I explained that I could afford the carseat if it was required (I probably make 10K more than her a year) and that I foster and that is why I have more that 2.4 kids, and that one of the 6 I have right now is a foster she didn't even apoligize! When I told her that I was offfended by her comment all she said was "Oh really?". I walked out without getting the info I needed, since she didn't offer to help anyway and ended up going to the next county to get the info.

As irritated as I am, that despite all of the progress I have made as an individual (I was a rotten teen) I will always be seen as white trash, I am more angry for the bfamilies we are trying to serve. What if one of them had gotten up the courage to ask a similar question of a local police officer (we all know that most do not have the best relationship with authority)? They would have been trying to do something really important for thier child, something to better his/her life and they would have got slammed.

I have come far from the troubled teen I was, and with education have gained a confidence that allowed me to see this women for what she is: someone who unduly thinks she is better than others. BUT, what about the people who are struggling right now, it is no wonder they do not access the help of authorities when it is really needed if they feel they will be persecuted for it.

Have other people who have fostered at younger ages run into this same problem?