[Scrapsathome]

There are some things we don't mind accomodating a bio parent on and others we simply are not going to be a part of. Two of our current foster kids have parents that bring them food from an Asian restaurant. It's some interesting fruits and vegetables and a huge box of instant noodles. That I have no problem with and we tell them they can eat "their food" any time they want to since it's just a matter of microwaving it. If we had to specially prepare any of it we probably wouldn't because I simply don't have time to make individual meals when I'm 8 months pregnant and feeding a family of 9.

These two girls are Cambodian and used to attend a Buddhist temple for special holidays and events with their family. We take them with us to our church every Sunday and all the younger kids go again for a kids' program on Wednesday nights. They're too young to stay home alone even if they wanted to. We wouldn't be willing to drop them off at a Buddhist temple. If the CW insisted on something like that they'd have to find another home to do it, because it would be violating our faith and I would consider it to be child abuse, personally. These kids have already been raised to believe that their Buddhist grandfather is some sort of magical faith healer. If he spits in their water they believe they will be healed. That's why the 13 year old almost died of a ruptured appendix last year because her family wouldn't take her for medical care.

Personally I wouldn't help foster kids get any unnecessary medical procedures done even circumcision. (Our son is not circumcised either.) If the CW insisted that be done whether it be piercings or anything along those lines, they would have to take them to get it done and assume full responsibility for the results. I, personally, am not against ear piercing although I had a bad reaction to it and have a large growth on one ear due to it. I just am not willing to be responsible for the results and would prefer not to have to deal with the after care for someone else's decision. Our current three foster girls all have pierced ears, but they are required to take care of them and keep them clean. We do help the six yr old take hers out at night. When our 4 yr old FS came into care with one earring in and one missing we simply took the other one out and decided we'd leave it like that unless a bio parent bought him new earrings and put them in themselves.

Jess