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The Power of Being Seen
We all have a need to be seen. There are significant differences in developmental outcomes between children who are seen and those who are unseen.
Statistics paint an ugly picture for the fate of foster about 40-50 percent of “aged-out” children become homeless within 18 months; almost 50 percent of prison inmates have been in foster homes; and foster children suffer six times the rate of PTSD found in the general population.
Author Roger Saillant was a product of the foster care system in the 1950s. In this poignant memoir, he describes his journey with no shortage of emotional baggage, constantly doubting himself and wondering why he is being moved from place to place. Why doesn’t anybody want him? Did he do something wrong? What’s the matter with him? He lives life on a farm where the only thing that matters to his foster father is whether his work gets done – with no regard for the typical nurturing and experiences of a growing child.
In The Power of Being Seen, Roger Saillant describes acutely his feelings of abandonment, helplessness, anger, resentment, and hopelessness to the point of contemplating suicide, but the values instilled by many caring adults make this a story of optimism, vision, creativity, courage, sensitivity, and, most of all, inspiration.
Statistics paint an ugly picture for the fate of foster about 40-50 percent of “aged-out” children become homeless within 18 months; almost 50 percent of prison inmates have been in foster homes; and foster children suffer six times the rate of PTSD found in the general population.
Author Roger Saillant was a product of the foster care system in the 1950s. In this poignant memoir, he describes his journey with no shortage of emotional baggage, constantly doubting himself and wondering why he is being moved from place to place. Why doesn’t anybody want him? Did he do something wrong? What’s the matter with him? He lives life on a farm where the only thing that matters to his foster father is whether his work gets done – with no regard for the typical nurturing and experiences of a growing child.
In The Power of Being Seen, Roger Saillant describes acutely his feelings of abandonment, helplessness, anger, resentment, and hopelessness to the point of contemplating suicide, but the values instilled by many caring adults make this a story of optimism, vision, creativity, courage, sensitivity, and, most of all, inspiration.
348 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 17, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 17, 2022
This book is a powerful testament to human resiliency. Despite 18 years in foster care, Roger Saillant has emerged from constant rejection and abandonment to become a successful businessman. Roger does not soft-soap his less than desirable actions as a young boy. His unusual upbringing is more akin to a rural Dickinson than what one would expect in the 1950s United States. Yet, his experiences with those who actually saw him and understood where he was coming from helped to steer him in a positive direction--a testament to teachers and social workers who often never know the influence that they have on their students.
November 11, 2022
This is a very good book for up in the foster care program and eventually aged out. It is also story of the importance of being sure that you see those around you.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews