Fostering kids has taught me more than how to change a diaper, feed a toddler, and put a shirt on a squirming baby. It has taught me that love can come quickly but leave so fast. My family has been fostering for over 5 years and we have had 12 kids. Their ages range from 0-7 years old, both boys and girls. There have been many ups and downs, but I love it because fostering is one way I can help others.

My favorite parts of being a big sister to foster children are learning new things and watching little ones grow up. Being a foster sister has taught me many things and I love having toddlers and babies around because taking care of them brings me joy. Everytime I have a foster sibling I love taking notice of their milestones. At such a young age so much change happens so quickly, one day they learn to roll over and the next day they are learning how to sit up. Now I have so much experience with babies and little kids that I can easily babysit them.

Although fostering is one of the best decisions my family has ever made, it comes with some hardships. When I was younger I loved having a sibling that I could help take care of, but I also found it could be overwhelming and sometimes upsetting to have my parents focused on another child. Also after having a new sibling for a long time, it can be emotionally upsetting and hard to say goodbye when they leave. Another hard thing to deal with is not knowing when they will leave you, my family has had placements ranging from 1 week to 10 months. Overall, fostering can be very unpredictable.

One of my favorite memories of having a foster sibling happened with our most recent placement. My teacher told my class we could get extra credit if one of our family members dressed in a turkey costume with photo evidence. I went home and put my 2-month-old foster sister inside a Thanksgiving turkey hat. This had everyone laughing and smiling.

Why do we foster? My family and I foster because it changes lives. Giving kids a place to feel safe and at home until they have a forever home is important. Another way we support foster kids is by volunteering at Hope's Closet. Hope's Closet is a wonderful store where foster parents can come in and shop for their foster kids for free. My mom spends lots of time working there and I volunteer there as well. I'm so grateful that my family and I have had the opportunity to help foster children.