[zanesa]

So I went the first PRIDE class and just feel so overwhelmed. Sometimes I feel like I'm just not sure if this is for us at all, sometimes I feel like maybe when my kids are a little older, and sometimes I'm like we can do this....I just wonder if I will always have the helitation or if that settles.

[seabird]

What age are your children? I am getting ready to start our classes soon and wonder too if the information that they cover will seem overwhelming. It's fine if you want to wait, you don't have to do this now. Good luck with all of this.

[zanesa]

my children are 6 and 3. Sometimes I think it would be easier to do this now and sometime I think maybe later. I guess I need to stick with all the classes and see. I think I'm most concerned with the parent visits and how much time that might take. I work full time and just don't if I would have enought time for everything.

[Withay]

Only you know what you and your family can handle. I do think you are wise to consider going to more of the classes to get answers to some of your questions.

You can always ask DHS to transport to and from visits so you don't have to take time off from work to do that.

Since you work full time you may want to consider fostering a little older child who is in school for at least part of the day. That will ease the burden of childcare costs for you.

Another thing you might consider is if it would actually be financially better if you can cut down on your work schedule to part time or not at all. To consider this you would want to know what the monthly stipend is for your area for the age you decide to foster. Find out how much of the stipend you will need to be spending on childcare. If it is more than the stipend, it may behoove you to consider lessening your work time. This would also eleviate the need for childcare for your bio children, thus saving you those costs also. You might be surprised at the answer.

Mind you, I'm not saying to quit your job and use the stipend to pay your bills. Just think about whether you really have to work (without the stipend being factored in).

Good luck and welcome to the forums.

[zanesa]

Thanks for your advise.

Our state you have to transport the children to their visists and you also have to be present at the visits. It is part of a Parent to Parent Model. That is just a big commitment to have to take the children to the visits and have to sit and talk with the parents every week.

We have looked at me cutting back my schedule and my work won't allow part-time anymore. I wish I could afford to be a stay at home mommy but that just hasnt' happened yet.

[Withay]

Is there any work that you can do from home? That is what I do.

I do part-time work for my former boss. He lets me work as much or as little as I want or need to (data entry, correspondence and accounting).