Respite

In foster care in our county we have what is called "respite". It is just what is sounds like, a way for foster parents to take a break. What happens is that you (foster parent) find another county foster parent to provide care for your foster child for a specific amount of time you both agree upon. For some it is a way to get some family time in with natural children or get a break from a difficult placement.

I have never been able to do this. If my kids are going to be farmed out because I need to do something or in case of an emergency, they are going together. All, or in groups of two if need be. I want to treat each child in my house equally, so if I need time with a natural child, then that child and I will get out together and leave the rest of the clan.

There are real reasons to use respite however, I do not want to make it sound bad. It is a good system. So we will be offering respite to another foster family at the end of the week. They have two teenage sons whom they want to take to South Carolina and a foster daughter who hates being in the car, even on short trips. So she is coming to hang out with us.

Here is the catch. She is two days younger than Iggy making her also 6 months old, so if I fall off the face of the earth you will know what happened. The babies took over and I petered out from exhaustion! I will have the older kids send out an S.O.S.

Pray for us, I think I have officially lost my mind...