8 Things I Wish I Had Known Before Becoming a Single Foster Mom

Guest post by Lisa Michele

 
 
In honor of National Foster Care Month this May, I share with you something I started writing a few months ago in the thick of this foster care journey. I was in shock, in total isolation, frustration and exhaustion. It is real. If you know anything about me, you know I am someone who would be VERY prepared and very analytical and methodical for this journey. I also KNEW the ages of my placements VERY WELL, yet I was still TOTALLY shocked at the heaviness of this foster care life. I would say, now (10 months in), I have a better grip on things and have accepted (and grieved) the loss of many parts of my life that were my norm and have settled into my new normal. For anyone who’s had their entire life uprooted before, you know how long it can take to feel OK in your new normal.
The below writing is MY opinion, MY experience, and MY learnings from my first and only placement (as of now). I went from having 0 kids to having six-month-old and 2.75 year-old brothers arrive at my doorstep with just 2 hours’ notice in July 2017.
 
NOTE: Please do not take this as a ONE SIZE FITS ALL example of the foster care system. Every case is TRULY different.
 
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