All parents need places where they feel safe and supported. Many parents want help but fear opening up about their struggles and don’t know where to safely find support. If children are in foster care, parents may not know what services to ask for to help them heal. Parents write about the supports that have helped them feel safe, bond with their children, grow as people and parents, reunify with their children—and keep their children out of foster care.
photo by Rosa Perin
From the day my grandson Nathan made his arrival into this world, we felt that something was different. Nathan was a fussy baby. He didn’t like to be held or rocked. Getting him to sleep was always difficult. As he became a toddler, Nathan couldn’t sit still or stay focused on any one toy for any length of time, even watching TV. Interacting with other kids his age was … Read More
When I found out I was expecting, I didn’t feel like I was mentally ready to care for a baby. I had just aged out of foster care and was only beginning to learn how to handle life without the system.
I also have a mood disorder and I wasn’t taking my medication on a regular basis. I’d seen stories on the news about mentally ill mothers harming their children and I was afraid that I … Read More
Mi hijo Eric, de once años, tiene dificultad en el aprendizaje y se le hace difícil mantenerse enfocado y atento. Su discapacidad no sólo afecta sus estudios sino también a toda nuestra familia.
El largo viaje para averiguar el problema de Eric comenzó cuando el tenia alrededor de ocho años. El había estado en clases especiales para niños inteligentes durante el segundo y tercer grado, pero entonces comenzó a tener problemas.
Tuvimos mucha dificultad para lograr que … Read More
Cuando yo tenía 18 años, vine a este país para vivir con mi hermano mayor, quien había llegado 6 meses antes. Yo quería estudiar y trabajar. Mis sueños eran ser secretaria, o incluso abogada, hablar ingles, y ser una persona bien vestida, de buen ver.
Yo deseaba lograr tener en México una casa grande y bonita para mi y mi familia. Y también quería ver cómo era realmente este país, si era tan bonito como se … Read More
Translated from Spanish.
Two years after my son was born, I decided I couldn’t continue my relationship with his father and we separated. I was sad and confused, but Rene and I were arguing all the time and I knew ending it would be the best for my son and me. I said to myself, “Don’t confuse a fear of loneliness with love.”
It was one of the most difficult moments in my life, especially … Read More
