We began our Kinship Foster Training Class this past Friday night. I'll be honest, my attitude has been less than great about attending this class. I can think of a few other ways that I'd rather spend a Friday. However, this is required to bring little Alex home, so I will do what it takes.
Class began with a centipede...yes, a centipede...crawling across my foot. I'm shocked that I didn't freak out. Actually, it was Matt that got a little jumpy. It wasn't until after he killed it that he told me that they can be poisonous. I'm not exaggerating when I say that it was about 3 inches long. Gross! For the remainder of our class time, I was constantly looking down at my feet or trying to find sitting positions that kept my feet in the air.
As we reviewed the class schedule, I quickly realized that much of the information was going to repeat our Infant Adoption Class. Cue the bad attitude again! My goal for the next five weeks is to find something new in every class to make me a better foster parent (and better parent in general). Here are a few nuggets that I gained Friday night...
- Rules and Regulations - this was actually what I wanted from the class, and there are a lot of them! The best info was about the licensing visit, specifically what was going to be required. We learned that we did not purchase the correct fire extinguishers, so I'll have to get new ones. We also learned that we'll have to get a landline phone. We have not had a landline since 2006, but as I've said before, we'll do what we need to do. We also have to buy a fire ladder. While there are many rules and regulations to learn, it is clear that they are all designed to protect the children living in the foster system.
- Resources - there are a crazy number of resources available to foster parents in Clark County. As we reviewed them, I was excited to know that we'd have a lot of support until the court hearing to determine Alex's final placement. Everything from diapers/formula to counseling to summer camps.
- Humbling Stories - We've tried to keep a positive attitude about our entire situation with Alex. Friday night showed us that we have absolutely nothing to complain about. I was in awe as I listened to everyone's stores. The grandmother who took her 7 granddaughters, the 22 year old guy who is taking care of his 1 1/2 year old brother, the couple who now have two nieces and a nephew in addition to three biological children, and the list goes on. It was humbling to hear what some of the people were willing to do. Many of them had little notice that they were being placed. Most of them have to deal with the parents of these children.
I look forward to learning many more things over the month of May. I'm just praying that no more creepy crawlers find their way onto my feet.
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That's exciting that you will have formula and diapers available to you!! We both know how expensive that can be!! Praying for your family, and those in your class!
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