|
Sorry I can't be of more help, not sure how long between licensing and placement. We had our kids matched to us before we were actually licensed. We did get our license, but just to get the kids placed with us before school started. Just learn as much as you can, fostering is not exactly the same as raising a birth child. These kids are so old and so young all at the same time. I have a 10-year-old who at one moment is all about fashion and nail polish and control, but yet won't go upstairs by herself unless someone stands at the foot of the stairs. It's hard to know "which kid", the teen or the baby, you'll meet at any given time. I give great kudos to the foster family that had my kids before me. They taught them so many life skills, like how to shower and make a bed for example but also gave them many good experiences like painting and swimming. Being in this 8 months now I have to say that I'm very grateful that my kids were "broken in" before I met them and that I didn't have to start where they were when they came into care. I don't want to discourage you, just know that any children you get will be quite a handful. My biggest piece of advice is don't take any more children than you truly know you can handle. It's taking every ounce of energy we have to keep up with our two. We laugh and think how much "easier" it would be with just one. No he did this, she said this fights. No you love him more discussions. Being able to divert all your attention to the problems of the one. But we have two great kids and we are entirely greatful, but also entirely exhausted!! Therapy, or should I say, GOOD therapy is a must. We have a weekly appt and 3 weeks of the month the whole family goes and 1 week we go alone (and make sure we have dinner out, too!) If you don't have any kids in the house at this time, having a babysitter or two is a must!! My husband and I laugh because we have seen more movies at the theater since the kids moved in permanently than we probably have in the last 3 years, just because we need time away. And I don't mean that in a negative way, it's just that the adjustment of having kids around ALL THE TIME, (especially ones so wanted and waited for so that you are devoting all your time to them) doesn't leave much time for just conversation or a leisurely dinner. There's always homework and projects and playdates and activities, it just doesn't seem to stop, so having a good babysitter at least makes things slow down for little while. It has been quite a ride for us, most of it so extremely awesome it makes up for the yucky...but there still is the yucky. Another thing I wish we really would have done was have my husband off the same amount of time I was when we first had the kids for the extended visits. We've really had a great time over Christmas break and I see the kids getting much closer with my husband now and I think with just me home during his work hours and doing fun things while he was at work that they missed an important bonding time with him. It seems, in our family at least, that when all 4 of us are together thats when we have the best times. Well that was sort of a brain dump, guess I've had some things brewing around up there.
Sorry for the long post again, I guess I'm just verbose. And yes please keep praying for the placement of S., my kids' brother. He and his family have a long road ahead of them.
|