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So I have my first meeting with my case worker Wednesday. I am so nervous. I know this is what I am ment to do. But I have some concerns and I was hoping some of you guys could answer for me.
I am in my last year of college and then will go into being a case worker with CPS (I hope). I want to get my licence and begin fostering but my work schedule is 2-10pm. I know there is most likely no way to stay home with my kids, but I wonder if I will ever have a work schedule that will be good for having kids. Also I am afraid if I get an under school age child (I am licensing 10 and under) that I will have to put them in respite all the time.
Just a lot of being unsure, I want what is best for these kids... is it really me?
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I am single foster momma. I have been doing it single 21, and as of next month will have a dual bachelors and dual masters (am now 27). As a social work supervisor at an 100 bed facility :)
My days are long..just got home few minutes ago..and get up at 5pm. Have a houseful of animals too- 3 dogs..3 cats..2 bunnies and a turtle! :) Currently have FIVE kiddos in my home (3 adopted+2 foster), ages: 2, 4, 7, 8, and 12.
Therefore it IS doable!! :) If you okay with less sleep and less flexible schedule. It times a LOT of time management. It would be harder having a 2-10pm schedule..but wasnt sure if you meant that you have that schedule now? Plus your in college? Or if you want your schedule to be that time if your a CPS worker. I only work Tuesday-Fridays, and I set my own schedule so it makes it easy for appointments..visits...etc. Instead of using respite here you would instead have to hire a sitter to watch the kiddos in your home..since you work till 10pm and they would be sleeping.
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I am single and fostering. Working on adopting my current. It's doable. I have what I think is an ideal work schedule since I'm a teacher - school hours are my working hours and I have weekends, holidays, and summers off. I don't know how it would work having an afternoon/night schedule for work - you'd have to get a nanny or babysitter instead of daycare probably.
One thing important to fostering single is a good support system. You're going to need a base of people who will help hold you up through the tough stuff and comfort you during the sad times (like when your child leaves your home even though it's not in their best interest).
Fostering is a journey that I'm so glad I'm taking. It's not always easy, in fact it can be really hard, but it's so worth it. I hope that I'm as much a blessing to my kiddos as they are to me.
I have to say that that work schedule (2-10) might be a problem unless you can afford a nanny or have a friend or family member who would be willing to watch your kid(s) in the evening. Where I am the state pays for daycare for working foster parents but you'd be hard pressed to find any daycare that's open past 6:30 and nannies are not interested in taking the state pay as it comes out to about $2-$3 an hour while a typical nanny charges $15-$25 an hour here. just something to consider. Any chance you could change your work hours?
Other than that being a single foster parent is definitely doable and enjoyable (some of the time ;) , foster parenting and parenting in general is never enjoyable ALL of the time). I've been a single foster mom to 1-3 kids at a time, at times having 2 under 16 months, or 3 age 3 and under and I can tell you that for the most part I loved it and still love it. It is exhausting sometimes and the foster care world can be very frustrating but I have never regretted becoming a foster parent. Oh and I'm 25 and was only 21 when I started the process of training/getting licensed so I know what it's like to be a younger foster parent. Feel free to private message me if you want. I'm always happy to talk about foster parenting, especially with other single parents.