Thanks for your kind comments. Really the purpose of my post was to say that children bring challenges and anyone thinking about having one, ten or beyond my understanding, nineteen, need to be prepared to lovingly address the needs that their children will have. And heaven knows all children bring suprises! Wonderful and sometimes, well, not what was in our picture of parenthood. Most of the children I fostered came from homes that could not provide the initial nurturing the children needed, let alone the oppositional behavior that developed later; or the behaviors and special needs that overtook their lives; or they could not face up to the early violations their children experienced and later acted out on. Sometimes I think having unusually large number of children becomes like an addition, trying to fulfill an empty spot in someone's being that never does get fulfilled until they face why the emptiness is there.
One of the best stories I have is when the parents robbed a bank in Alberta, then came into British Columbia and were arrested. They had their four year old son with them. When the child was brought to our home, at Easter weekend, he had all new clothes, toys and a backback...at least they shared their heist and ensured their son was well dressed before coming into foster care.
