[jllambert]

Is annoying me with all his talk about foster care and foster parents! I agree it is not a perfect system, but there are MANY great foster homes that do right by the children placed in their homes!
I have never let any of my kids (foster, Bio, or adopted) go without anything! Dr. Phil keeps saying that because foster parents don't get enough money we don't do enough or do everything the kids may need done! He just keeps making it sound like kids put in foster care are going from bad to worse!
Sure wish he would do a show with foster families and let us tell what we do, how we help, and how much we love the kids we have placed in our homes!

Sorry just a little vent!!

[onhazier]

Why not write to his show and suggest it? He may become a bit more educated and change his tone about us.

[Joei_in_NJ]

I second that - I am new but will sign up lol

[jllambert]

I did email the show, and got the address to write a letter as well! I just think after all the negative talk about Foster care he should give CPS and Foster parents a chance to defend what we do!

[laceyc]

I agree..maybe he should show the other side of foster care...kids who get warm, homecooked meals and have a bed to sleep in.

[potentialsinglemom]

Was he in quoted in an article or something? He did he get into foster care bashing?

[crick]

Dr. Phil is a quack. If I were going to email him, my question would be "If you care so much, why don't YOU become a foster parent?"

I never watch his show because I know he'll have more 1/2 truths than not. It's entertainment...don't ever forget that.

[carlychan]

Not defending Dr. Phil, really. But he is very involved with the CASA program. I think he and Robin have even been Casa's before. So, I don't think he is completely uninformed. I don't think everyone should be foster parents (including Dr. Phil). Would he really have enough time for a foster child?

Carly

[timleenettesue]

I wish all shows would give us a chance to show we are not bad people. Every child that comes into my home is treated like they belong, because they do. Every child is treated with love and respect!

[fostermomintx]

I'm very annoyed and irritated and I did email the Dr. Phil show and got a reply back from his Associate Producer. She was asking all sorts of questions like how was I affected and would people I know come on television. I wasn't trying to get on television so I just wrote back that I was sick and tired of all the negative talk about foster parents and foster care. We know it's not perfect but it's all we have and that they should do a program on all the good foster homes. He keeps having these "experts" on that keep bashing foster care every time it's mentioned. Until they've had a call in the middle of the night about a toddler with a broken arm and broken knee caps then they have nothing to complain about because they know nothing about what it takes to be a foster parent.

[thelowlanders]

I don't watch him lately, but I think they should do a show on the treatment of foster parents.

[jllambert]

The Octo-mom saga was the most recent time I have seen him bash foster care!He is dead set on keeping her kids out of foster care and today he went on and on about this private group "Angels in waiting" that will be helping her! How great and trained and perfect they are as opposed to us under paid, under educated, foster families(this was the way it came across)! It really just pushed my buttons because it made it sound like foster families are not equipped to care for premature babies or children with special needs!

Being that he and his wife have been involved with CASA makes me feel like he should Bash the system less! I would think they would have met or heard of at least a few great foster families! Why not shine a light on the good and try to get more good loving people interested in fostering!
The Media in general is very bad about bashing foster care! They will spot light 100s of stories about bad foster homes, but only talk about the good ones when it is a very slow news day!

Also putting such an evil face on Foster homes does not help these poor kids when they come into care. What they hear about foster families is bad and scary, so they are terrified until they get here meet us and see that we are a nice normal family who is just wanting to help love and care for them!

[Mummy_Big_Bird]

Dr. Phil is a quack, and should be taken off the air. I belong to other groups that have sited his bad advise on other topics as well. He sends out a bad message to people who think he is a real doctor (which he is not!)

[laceyc]

I don't ever watch him or Oprah. I personally think the Octo mom is an idiot. She has no job and now has 14 kids. She used student loan money to get preggers instead of using it for school where she could have gotten an education and a job to support herself and her kids. I would love to stay home and have a house full of kids...and I know a lot of people who do it without relying on government help...but I mean really...was that a wise investment of her money....sorry went on a little rant there.

[AmahMama]

One of the issues with with shows like Dr. Phil is that WE (the fp's) have confidentality issues that we have to contend with. WE know that how our fk's are treated, provided for, and thier issues. WE also know how they got the issues they end up with. WE cannot divulge this to press or to others. We know that most of the issues are from before foster care, not because of it.

Yes, funding would help in many, many states. Personally I don't watch any of those shows often so I only hear of the segments that are 'bad'. I know that in several states when the budget came up - and cuts needed to be made - human services (foster care, therapy, cw's, transporters, admin staff) are the first ones on the chopping block. Right before K-12 education. I really don't see how they expect the younger generations to take over and care for us when we get old - if we can't make sure they are educated and cared for when they are young. Just my opinion - but -

Darn it yes - we need to all stand up for the kids - and thier needs -

Do you know how many people ask "what did they do" = like them being in foster care is like detention? People don't even know what foster care is - much less anything positive about it. Only what they hear - and no child 'needs' to go into foster care. It should definately be a last resort. But many children need foster care to meet thier needs. And the amazing foster parents take these children of strangers into thier homes and do wonders with taking charge of these various needs and giving so much of themselves. Our futures are 'our' children. That may not make much sense when you first read it - but if you think about it for a minute - you'll know what I mean. I just don't know how to say it better.