[madfostermomma]

As of Friday we will finally be adopting our second set of siblings after almost 2 years of placement with us. That menas we have adopted 4 kids in 8 months. Next week we are moving to another town in the same county ( bigger house 1.8 acres, tranquility ) and have decided that we will not be relicensing for foster care anymore. A part of me is sad and a bit hesitant ( especially since birthmom 2 is pregnant again and her and I are on good terms) but know we need some time off. Kids are 6,5, 4 & 3. Three of them have IEPs and my husband and I think it's time to focus soley on them. ( plus after 4 years of the system - we're ****ed tired) We keep saying that maybe someday we will foster again.

So my question now goes out- has anyone known that it's time to stop and is there anyone out there that has stopped and then gone back to fsotering later on?

[mommy2fiveplus]

I have only been doing foster care for 6 years (I'm 26) but my mom has been fostering kids nearly my entire life. She takes periodic breaks, esspessially after difficult cases. She always told me that if I wanted to take a break to do it, just don't let your license go because it is a pain to get it back (all that paperwork!). And I took her advice, after the adoption of my first son, we didn't take any kids for 18 mos, the agency didn't mind they kept us licensed but just put our home on "hold" until we were ready again. We ended up moving to a bigger house and stuff settled down and we were ready again and didn't need to kill a forest to start taking placements, all we had to do was give them a call.

And as a side note, we also (after six mos of no Fkids and really missing it) offerred to take respite cases occasionally for the weekend. They never needed us to do that but we left it open as an option.

This would also allow you to stay ready and waiting if that bio sib comes into cae or is placed for adoption, if that is the ruote you would want to go.

Good Luck and enjoy your new additions!

[shycar]

I know what you mean. Dh and I are planning to stop fostering, leave our agency that only does foster and go through a county that does fost/adopt, finish a our family and then take a break. We want to be a family, then when all our kids are in school (we want to keep age order so we plan to adopt younger then 3yrs old) then we will start fostering again. I also feel sad, I love fostering, been doing it for 7 years, but I really want to finish my family and then spend time just as a family. My dh is so excited and cant wait. We have to wait till fd leaves and that will be in about 2-3 months. Good Luck to you and best wishes and enjoy your kids.

[kxl164]

We are taking a break from fostering ourselves, but we are keeping our license current.

We need a few years to focus on our kids and make sure they are all well adjusted and ok before we introduce any more children into our home. I also need a bit of a break because, like you, we have a lot of small children 6, 4, 4, and 3, and some days are great, other days are insane!

We are keeping our home "open" because of the younger sibling of our foster children. If that child needs us, we will be there, but that is the only child we would consider taking for the next 2-3 years.

We will reassess then, basically because we will have to ask to be kept open at that time and if we do they will ask us for a date when they can start calling again.

So, I don't know if we are done completely, but we are done for now!

Good Luck with the move and your family!

[athikers]

We are taking a break after Teeter leaves until we finalize on Pixie. His case has been very trying and very emotionally exhausting and we need to step back for awhile. Plus, Pixie knows no life without her "brother" so she needs time to adjust as well.

[Yash]

After my daughter finalizes, I think I'm through but I will keep my license active for a few years just in case. Take a break enjoy your kids, but keep the license for a year or so.

Congrats on your adoption!