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Welcome to our wonderfully crazy princess world! Fairy dust, tiaras, tutus and bows, God has a plan that only He knows!
We began the adoption process for our own selfish reasons—really only for us and our desire to be parents. Little did we realize that we would be creating so much more.
Adoption is one of the most beautiful, rewarding, tearful, stressful and crazy things to be a part of. Our lives have changed from work, date nights and friends to dancing and singing and dress up and make believe and hugs. Some days, we grocery shop wearing princess dresses or wear bathing suits and goggles in the tub. You get creative. You let go of trying to be in control and you just love.
My wife, Joy-Lynn and I became Foster Parent Mentors (FPM) through Heartland for Children in 2012. When we were approached with the opportunity to be an added support for incoming Foster Parents, we jumped at the opportunity because we saw the value in having someone who other Foster Parents could relate to as being an invaluable resource; especially, if the individual(s) were completely new to the fostering and/or parenting experience.
As FPMs through Heartland, we've had the chance to interact with incoming Foster Parents on many levels including assisting with respite, providing guidance or best practices with difficult behavioral issues, advocating for a child who had to be moved from one home to another, making recommendations on working with case management, providing another vantage point through the process of Termination of Parental Rights (TPR), and many other areas that Foster Parents can encounter during their first and continuing years of child advocates.
What we've gained as FPMs is a heightened level of understanding of how important it is to identify the needs of incoming Foster Parents. Being able to make recommendations on how the training component has and can continue to successfully equip incoming parents with the proper training and education; is a value add that Heartland has really welcomed input on.
Cebien Alty - HFC Foster Parent, Foster Parent Mentor