A Foster Family Weekend
by a Connected Foster Care mother, Samantha Marler
Written in December 2021
We have had a busy weekend. Why can’t three-day weekends be an all-the-time thing? It’s been so delightful. We have had so many foster firsts this weekend. We ate in an actual restaurant – a Mexican restaurant. The kiddos ordered soft shell tacos and did an awesome job practicing their manners. They didn’t even get any food on their shirts. Little brother made sure to tell the waiter that they were, “really good cookers.” We did our first Wal-Mart trip with just me and the two boys. We went with a goal in mind – getting surprises for Clark (my husband), items for memory boxes, and a new stuffed toy of their own choosing. They learned how to buy for others. They were shocked to learn that Clark would not love a Ryan Mystery Egg (which is from a children’s TV show called Ryan’s World)! Haha! We talked about buying for others means you think about the things that make the other person happy. Chocolate for Clark, not toys. Expectations were laid out clearly.
A tantrum occurred. We left the buggy and all the things in it. Once we got to the car and traced the lines on our hands, took deep breaths, and talked it out, we were able to pull it together and go back for the things we’d picked out. We had growth, progress, and lessons learned from this trip. Big brother picked out Spider-Man toys, and little brother picked Sonic the Hedgehog. They got a new kitchen play set and were so excited to play kitchen. We had movie night with peanut M&M’s. They usually would have picked gummy candy, but recent dental work requires they avoid gummy candy. They’re handling it well.
Big brother also got a bike. We tell him it’s Clark’s because he takes better care of things when they belong to someone else. Both boys got knee pads and elbow pads to stay safe on their bikes. They thought they were so cool and were playing Ninja Turtles. We have purchased most of the new items on Facebook Marketplace and have asked ourselves if we’ve ruined Christmas with the ongoing new stuff. Our hopes are that the message of Christmas isn’t about the gifts but about the true reason.