PARENTING September 24, 2007 Issue

GOD FOSTERS EVERYONE

VALERIE MINARD

"YOU MAY SEE a variety of behavior patterns. Don't take it personally. Just be patient and loving while the child works through his fears."

Good advice for a room filled with would-be foster parents.

The backgrounds of kids in foster care run the gamut and can include physical abuse, neglect, poverty, drugs, alcohol, and teen pregnancy. Because of their situations, these young people often endure sudden and unexpected separation from their homes; some even feel guilt, thinking they're the cause of a family breakup. All are anxious to know what's coming next. From the foster parents' perspective, the task of anticipating their particular needs is daunting.

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