My shortest foster stint was five days. That was when the county was laying off social workers and didn’t have time to check up on what was going on in the foster houses.
Let’s just say it was bad and leave it there.
The fifth house was the real heartbreaker, the Garcias.
They were sweet people.
Ten kids, so what was one more?
Mrs. Garcia had this party for her daughter Luz, a Quinceañera. Invited lots of kids from the neighborhood. First time in my life I felt I belonged somewhere.
One day ICE came knocking. They got deported.
Figures.
I am presently working with an older teen who came up in the foster system. There are those who truly care for the kids they take in. Then there are the others.
Wouldn’t the foster parents have to registered with the government to foster? If so, the family could have taken him in as a run away. Either way, still a power story, felt the kick in the guts. Well done.
Not a kind reward for being a good person. Well captured.
A universal tale. Hope he got another decent family.
Heartbreaking and all too true, for those who know how the system works (or rather, does not work, a lot of the time) and how rare the good foster care experiences are, even for the same child. The lack of control and the helplessness to have a say in one’s own life is often the hardest for the children, especially those who ‘age’ in the system.
And these days, yes, there are alas too many good foster homes that get broken. I know children who’d been removed from a loving and stable foster home — the first they’d had for years after bouncing about in the system — just because the foster parent came out as being gay.
Sad stuff, shit happens to the good sometimes while the law makers lord it up. Really good stuff, well done
How sad. Her foster family deported, leaving her all alone? That’s what I read. Poor thing.
Ouch. How terrible to be shuffled around like that. Laws executed, without regard to their consequences.
Sad and cruel tale, well done
My shortest foster stay was all of 1 hour… the family couldn’t handle my crutches. They were farmers who wanted free labor. Go figure.
Heartbreaking. Your story points to so many injustices, and I love the voice you’ve chosen to present them. So world-weary.
You really liked to be among many kids. It must be a very nice atmosphere. Sometime, children are bullied by older kids.
Very good and touching story.
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Hope the sixth house was much good.
https://ideasolsi65.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-dark-horse.html