these are questions to ask yourself before taking the next step:
- Can you love and care for a child who has come from a difficult background?
- Can you help a child develop a sense of belonging in your home even though the stay is temporary?
- Can you love a child who, because of a fear of rejection, does not easily love you back?
- Are you secure in yourself and your parenting skills?
- Can you set clear limits, and be both firm and understanding in your discipline?
- Do you view bed-wetting, lying, defiance, and minor destructiveness as symptoms of a child in need?
- Can you tolerate major failures and small successes?
- Can you accept assistance and guidance from trained social workers?
- Can you maintain a positive attitude toward a child’s parents, even though many of the problems the child is experiencing is a direct result of the parent’s actions?
- Can you love with all of your heart and then let go?
If you can answer ’yes’ to all of these questions, then you are prepared to take the next step!