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Helo and thank you for the forum. I am a foster dad from AZ. My wife and I have no bio children and one failed private/family adoption. This is our first foster care placement. We have been married for 18 years. I have been mostly reading on here for over a year and think I need to post.
We have been foster care for a sibling group since 12/07 (2f, 4f, 7m). From what the folders state the 7 year old boy was given custody to a family friend soon after he was born. The two girls appear to have been with their bio mom, ther was no other information (other than looking up public court records showing CPS involvement since the boy was born. Drugs, no water, no foor, no electricity in AZ). We took the three in and then foud out bio mom was pregnant. CPS inqured if we were interested in the newborn but we had already full with out first placement of the three.
The youngest was slow to bond. She did not want to be held unless you were standing up. She seemed happy, smiling alot. She gets along with both other kids. She dows not talk much yet, only a few two word combinations and mostly one word sentences. When removed from the other two kids she really opens up and talks more.
The two older siblings have been in trauma therapy. The boy was definitely beaten and most likely some sexual exposure. The girl appears to have some trauma and sexual exposure as well and has been diagnosed with RAD and ADHD. The girl NEVER goes to bed without crying, popping in and our of bed, sometimes/most of the time sneaking into our bed. The boy has shown agressiveness towards the girl starting with putting his genitals on her stomach once, peeing in toy bins, on toys, on the girls room floor, on his floor. He constantly complains about her. She has done some things such as expose her self to me, touch herself in front of me, tried to put my hand on her genitals while sitting on my lap. She has made our dog yelp numerous times, we have not seen what she is doing to him. She does what she wants instantly without thinking about consequences or other peoples feelings.
The boy withdraws very quickly. He will shut down at the first feeling of saddness, anger, fear and this is can happen doing homework, getting ready to go out, in the store, anywhere. The person he thought was his mother beat him, used him as labor and that is all we know for sure. There is a scar on his back that looks like a car cigarette lighter burn.
The kids have just had a bonding assessment/best interest evaluation and it appears the psychologist is recommending the siblings be split removing the four year old girl. Real feelings or not (RAD) the girl appears to have bonded with me and I do have a soft spot for her. The boy seems to try to copy the behaviors of the girl, sitting on my lap, holding my hand, but just seems to go through the motions. The 2 year old is just starting to cry for daddy sometimes. I am already upset just thinking about loosing her. My wife thinks she is the cause of most of our problems and thinks I have been fooled by her. I just believe she is doing what her short life has taught her and we should have patience.
I know it may be better for her and all the kids to be seperated so each gets the individual attention they all need. It just seems unfair and sad to have put these kids that were seperate together and now have to undo the mess.
Just saddened and needed to share I guess.
Robert
Robert, your story really saddens me. It's just so awful what can happen to our young kids. We want to do everything we can to protect them, and try our best to not upset their life.
If that is their recommendation, I really would agree with it. I can only imagine how you feel, but sometimes it really is for the best to separate the sibs. Sometimes they have been through just too much together and start to act out on each other. They start to do really well when they are removed from the other kids that have been traumatized right along with them.
I know it's tough, but hang in there. This might be best for the 2 kids left in your house. You'll be able to spend more time with them and give them the attn they need.
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If your wife feels this little girl is causing the major upset, she is likely right. My kids with rad behaved one way for me but the second dad was in the room the behavior was different.
While it is very sad, some kids do have a better shot at healing if they are seperated. Often one has too much control over the others and it's not always the oldest.
That being said if both you and your wife want to fight to keep them all, then do so. But, if you wife agrees it would be better for the little girl to go, it will never work for her to stay as kids with rad are masters at triangulation.
Capriaz
The youngest was slow to bond.. When removed from the other two kids she really opens up and talks more.
The two older siblings have been in trauma therapy. The boy was definitely beaten and most likely some sexual exposure. The girl appears to have some trauma and sexual exposure as well and has been diagnosed with RAD and ADHD.
The kids have just had a bonding assessment/best interest evaluation and it appears the psychologist is recommending the siblings be split removing the four year old girl. Real feelings or not (RAD) the girl appears to have bonded with me and I do have a soft spot for her.. I am already upset just thinking about loosing her. My wife thinks she is the cause of most of our problems and thinks I have been fooled by her.
Robert
RAD is very divisive. You and your wife need to be united in order to parent these children with their special needs. If your wife sees the 4-year-old girl as the problem, you should respect her opinion. A RAD child can fake bonding and frequently divides parents by appearing "good" to the parent who is not the primary caretaker. It is the SAHM who sees the "real" child.
In the end, it isn't about what YOU want, but about what is best for the child, and for the other members of the family.