Other than Money; Why do you think people want to become foster parents?

Question

Example/analogy: Many cops want to become police officers because they want to be heroes or feel manly. Often times the type of people who are drawn into that kind of work feels some type of insecurity about their man hood...

That was just an example but I CLEARLY know that not all cops feel that way...

Many peopel want to become foster parents because_______(feel in the blank)_______________

Answer 1

Well, being in foster care and adopted by my foster parents as an infant, and being raised with foster children all my life, my parents do it because they want to make a difference in the lives of children that are not as fortunate as others. Each and every child deserves a loving caring home until either they go back home, rare, or are adopted like many have been from our home. They see pictures and do not always remember, but those first couple of years of a person live are criticial to how they themselves do in the future. I love being around infants all the time, we have two infants at the moment and they are both amazing, many problems, but amazing.

Answer 2

Because there are children out there that need our help NOW, to either get back to the stability that their home currently does not have, or move on to a new home that will have stability.

Forget the money idea...you try having a child come into your home that takes up more than half of your income on psychologists, doctors visits, clothes, food, etc, and then getting maybe 1/8th of that money spent back.

Yeah, if you're fostering a child right, you're in the red every month.

Answer 3

What money are you talking about, cause ours didn't cover half of what it takes to raise a hurt sibling group!

Maybe some of us want to be foster parents because we want to make a difference and help humanity.  I don't know.  I'm a little irrate with this.

Answer 4

I hardly doubt money is the motivation behind most parents decision to foster, because it costs more to care for a child than they pay.

Perhaps they want to be heroes in the eyes of these children, perhaps they themselvs had a traumatic childhood and want to make a difference in the eyes of these children.

Perhaps the foster parents can not have children of their own so decided to foster and/or adopt, or they chose to foster instead of having children of their own so that they could provide a home and family for a child that needs it.

Just out of curiousity, where did you come up with your analogy?  It made me laugh.

Answer 5

When my children are older I want to open up a foster care because there are hardly any decent ones out there.  Also so many kids are tossed into awful places where they get abused sexually and emotionally, they get introduced to drugs sooner, and a lot worse things.  A lot of people only adopt babies and children under age3, people forget about those older children and teens need homes too.  I plan to try to give some children and teens a good home, even if it is just temporarily

Answer 6

they want to provide a child a safe & loving environment.  

Although I believe all situations are unique and not everyone has the same reason.  I have a friend who used foster care because as a nurse, she wanted to provide a home to a medically challenged child.  

(And I know you said to stop dwelling on the cop analogy, but I'm married to one - and I'd have to say that my husband chose the career because he wanted to help people and make a difference....many of the same reasons that other people may choose to adopt).  

Answer 7

Here's a story I wrote about my little foster daughter, maybe this will help you see what being a foster parents is like:

www.associatedcontent.com/article/6677...  

Answer 8

I should tell the three female detectives I work with that they are only doing the excellent job they do because their manhood was in question.  lol  

Apart from your ridiculous analogy I think many, if not most, people who foster do so because they hope that they can make a difference in the life of a child.  Much the same way that Scout Leaders volunteer, Shriners ride their mini cars and Priests do the work they do.  

Not everyone who does something to help others does it out of a feeling of personal inadequacy or insecurity.

Answer 9

We became foster parents because we wanted to make a difference in some ones life.

People always tell me you cant save the world or every child. But you can make a difference in one child's world. Even if it is only for a short time if you give your all they can take a lot from the experience.

Answer 10

There is certainly no way to answer any question like this with one answer!  Why do lawyers, students, philanthopists, doctors, secretaries, organ donors, plumbers, writers, robbers, preachers, therapists, scientists, day care workers or why does anyone do what they do?  The reasons are as varied as the people.  But I can say that fostering does not pay a ton, and you have to be pretty poor to be motivated by just money.  Although is does happen, as in any work/actvity.  

Answer 11

people want to become foster parents to help children that are abused because they themselves were probably abused when they were little and don't want to see innocent children get hurt.

Answer 12

I was raised in foster care, I've experienced the life that a lot of kids and teens are experiencing today. I've grown up and aged out of the system and have been for a while now. Last night I met a teen boy who didn't know I'd gone through all of that too. When he found out I could see the look in his face "she understands, she knows! I dont have to be alone or try to explain. I can be comfortable, Im not different." Just knowing that my experience has given him that immediatly confirmed that I want to be a foster parent someday.  

Answer 13

The majority of people who foster do not do it for the money. In fact the money typical receive is not really that much and is suppose to go towards the care of that foster child.  Yes I do know that some people do it for the money but again that is a small percentage than those who are doing it simple because they want to help a child(ren) give them some stability and love for a short time or long time.

Also many people become police officers because want to give back and help community I very much doubt a lot (of men) join the force because they are insecure about their “manhood”. There are many cops where it runs in their family, grandfather was a cop, dad, Uncle  was one etc. My brothers best friend in grade school's father was a cop and this guy went on to join the force to. Ironically when he was in 9th grade his mother left her job and joined the force too.

Answer 14

I would pray that the majority of people that become foster parents want to be because they care about children, and want to give them a place to feel at home.