a child's perspective

a perspective by an eight year old foster child (lovelygirl):

"I was laying on the bed thinking about Rosie (her kitten) and I was holding her. Remember that place where we stopped and you got chips and I got popcorn?"

I answered, "yes luv, I remember." (It was a foodmart at a gas station on our way back after visit with us)

"Well...I was holding Rosie and she wanted down and I put her down and she went over to the door. A man was by the door and I told him don't let her out! But he opened the door anyway, and Rosie sprinted out. A big truck was out there and almost hit her!"

I said, "That isn't good, we don't want anything to happen to Rosie!"

"Then another time I was laying in bed and I was thinking about Rosie again."

(this was definitely a good decision to get her a kitten now!)

"This time she was at the back door, and wanted to go outside and you opened the door and she sprinted outside.  She ran across the street into the forest and you said, oh no, she might get eaten by hyenas!"

I asked gently,"Honey, are you worried something will happen to Rosie while you are up there?"

A huge breath. Anxious air escaping.

A quiet "Yes."

Knowing that this was a loaded story, I hesitated.  It hit me like a ton of bricks. She wasn't just asking about Rosie. She wasn't just worried about the kitty getting lost.

She was worried about herself getting lost.

Would we send her out the door? Would we let the hyenas of the world get her?

I responded in a gentle, but firm voice,"Honey, we know you really love Rosie, so do we, and we don't want anything bad to happen to her either, just like we don't want anything bad to happen to you.  I always pick her up when I let out the doggies, so that she won't escape out the door. We want Rosie to be here too, and we want YOU to be here even more!"

"Good!" a huge sigh of relief.

I could feel her smile through the phone, and I was wishing I could hold her close at that very moment.

She needs to know that she will finally be safe somewhere, a safe place to land. Parents who will love her and cherish her. Someone who won't let her sprint through the door, across the road into the forest, and let the big bad wolves get her. She's been let down too many times. People haven't been there for her when she was scared, when she felt alone.

sometimes kiddos tell you a story about a kitty, to let you know how they themselves are feeling. sometimes they use a barbie doll to tell you what has happened to them ib their past.

above all....LISTEN!!

her perspective