Newspaper Article- Foster Care

In your opinion what is the hardest job in the world, from an emotional stand-point? I can think of a lot of jobs that pile on strenuous amounts of emotional pressure on people every day but whatever job I thought was the hardest before, it has changed now. I read a newspaper article on foster parents who provide care for not only ‘regular’ foster kids but three of the 165,000 ill foster kids in the US foster care system. I was touched by a family who, including there own two children and one on the way, takes care of five foster children, three of which have special medical needs. As I sat and thought about those who give and never get back, I was reminded of my family friends Justin and Jill. They are foster parents in Iowa, who have several times over again, lost a child that they fell in love with and wanted to adopt as their own. But yet again, they don’t let that get to them, and they are still trying to adopt the baby girl that they are caring for today.
To give all you have for someone else’s child and bring them in as your own, especially at the cost of losing them is an unbearable thought for me. These people have hearts of gold and spirits that no one can break. Ron Westman, the father of the eight children, was quoted saying, “When you get somebody like Jay, with those eyes, he makes it kind of worth it all.” Reading that quote over and over again, I felt the tears swell and my heart throb. Foster parents don’t get a lot of recognition and credit. It is a full time job with more stress than any I can think of.
Ron’s wife Cathy had even mentioned that taking care of the kids is like some kind of sickness for they had tried to get out once, but just couldn’t say no. It’s the small things in life that give us the hope and compassion to keep trying. It’s the smile of a child and the chance to make a lasting impact on a child in need of a simple hug that makes this job, in my opinion, a job worthy of praise. The job may be overbearing at times, but the load is lifted when a child laughs, when a secluded child opens up and when you can see the child blossom simply because you took the time of day to care.