Just a quickie...
...because I plan to spend a few hours on this beautiful day today working outside! :)
Bio mom asked us via our notebook if we would take the baby when she is born. Talk about heart-wrenching! I think it took a lot of humility for her to even ask at all. She wouldn't have asked if she didn't think we would do a good job. I had to explain to her that when we originally started doing foster care a few months ago, we requested 1 child under the age of five. Now we have three children, one of which is not under the age of five (and thank GOODNESS for that!), and that we simply could not commit to adding another child, especially not a new born baby. I told her that I have cried over this decision (and I have!) and that I hope she knows we did not make it lightly. She wrote back and said it was OK and that she understood. So, hopefully she really does understand. I thought it was really good that she asked if her daughter could come stay here when she is born though.
Also I can't remember if I said this before or not. One morning D was talking to one of his aunts via Facebook and his aunt said to tell me hi and that she thinks we are doing a really good job with the boys, and that she wouldn't want them to be anywhere else. That was really touching and sweet. :)
I also talked to the bio mom on the phone for the first time yesterday. D called her because he was upset that we were enforcing a rule that she made. When it came down to it, she still wanted us to enforce the rule (which is one we agreed with too!) and D was really upset and said "How come she always takes YOUR side?" I told him it's because we both want what is best for him.
So just a lot of positive news. Oh AND C might be moving up to a higher level of care because of all his tantrums and all of the work we have been putting in to get him better (researching on the internet, talking to the therapist, seeking out help). All the boys are at a Level 1, which is the lowest level of care with the lowest payment (honestly it's pretty much enough to feed and transport them, not much more than that). They base the levels as compared to other kids their age...so like, even though Y is 15 months old and requires a lot of supervision and a lot of time to take care of him, since he is a fairly normal 15-month old he would be a Level 1. He would only get moved up if he had major medical issues that required a lot of time and care, or if he had a lot of serious behavior problems, or something like that. I understand why they do the payment system like that but it seems like you should get paid more for little kids just because of the care that they do need, especially seeing as how we are saving the state a ton of money by not sending them to daycare. If we did send them to daycare, the state would pay for that AND they would still pay us the same amount we currently receive. It doesn't provide a whole lot of incentive for foster parents to keep their kids at home.
Took Y for his 15-month check up. He was 21 lbs 6.5 oz, which is in the 10th percentile, and is 31 inches long which is the 50th percentile. Last time he was at the 7th percentile and the 25th percentile so I think it's pretty good that he is catching up! When he was at respite even though it was only for two days when we got him back I could've sworn he grew even in that time. He is just growing like a weed!
Anyway that was a tangent I didn't intend to go on. But it's sunny out, the boys are napping, so it's off to work I go! :)
Bio mom asked us via our notebook if we would take the baby when she is born. Talk about heart-wrenching! I think it took a lot of humility for her to even ask at all. She wouldn't have asked if she didn't think we would do a good job. I had to explain to her that when we originally started doing foster care a few months ago, we requested 1 child under the age of five. Now we have three children, one of which is not under the age of five (and thank GOODNESS for that!), and that we simply could not commit to adding another child, especially not a new born baby. I told her that I have cried over this decision (and I have!) and that I hope she knows we did not make it lightly. She wrote back and said it was OK and that she understood. So, hopefully she really does understand. I thought it was really good that she asked if her daughter could come stay here when she is born though.
Also I can't remember if I said this before or not. One morning D was talking to one of his aunts via Facebook and his aunt said to tell me hi and that she thinks we are doing a really good job with the boys, and that she wouldn't want them to be anywhere else. That was really touching and sweet. :)
I also talked to the bio mom on the phone for the first time yesterday. D called her because he was upset that we were enforcing a rule that she made. When it came down to it, she still wanted us to enforce the rule (which is one we agreed with too!) and D was really upset and said "How come she always takes YOUR side?" I told him it's because we both want what is best for him.
So just a lot of positive news. Oh AND C might be moving up to a higher level of care because of all his tantrums and all of the work we have been putting in to get him better (researching on the internet, talking to the therapist, seeking out help). All the boys are at a Level 1, which is the lowest level of care with the lowest payment (honestly it's pretty much enough to feed and transport them, not much more than that). They base the levels as compared to other kids their age...so like, even though Y is 15 months old and requires a lot of supervision and a lot of time to take care of him, since he is a fairly normal 15-month old he would be a Level 1. He would only get moved up if he had major medical issues that required a lot of time and care, or if he had a lot of serious behavior problems, or something like that. I understand why they do the payment system like that but it seems like you should get paid more for little kids just because of the care that they do need, especially seeing as how we are saving the state a ton of money by not sending them to daycare. If we did send them to daycare, the state would pay for that AND they would still pay us the same amount we currently receive. It doesn't provide a whole lot of incentive for foster parents to keep their kids at home.
Took Y for his 15-month check up. He was 21 lbs 6.5 oz, which is in the 10th percentile, and is 31 inches long which is the 50th percentile. Last time he was at the 7th percentile and the 25th percentile so I think it's pretty good that he is catching up! When he was at respite even though it was only for two days when we got him back I could've sworn he grew even in that time. He is just growing like a weed!
Anyway that was a tangent I didn't intend to go on. But it's sunny out, the boys are napping, so it's off to work I go! :)
I love this blog so much Brynn! It just makes me feel like I'm in tune with everything that is going on with you. Yes, I get a lot of this info when we talk on the phone - but you tend to write more details. I just love it! I hope you never stop keeping the blog - it will be something really cool to have to look back on! Love you!!!
ReplyDeleteI think it is really great that the bio mom is apprecciative of your care for her children. You guys are making a difference.
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