Foster Care Placements
AOK Guest Post: Last Chance Words
“When he first came to us, you wrote a letter asking us to take care of him. We loved him and did our best to care for him. I hope you’ll agree…..” I wrote these words in a note to send to our foster son’s mother just hours before he would leave us forever. Or…
Read MoreThe Lasting Effects of Our Time with Michael
Earlier this month would have been the third annual Homebrew Showcase for All Our Kids. The last two years of this event have been a wonderful partnership between Paddy’s Irish Pub and AOK. Although the funds raised as a result of this event have meant so much to us, the relationships we’ve made with the…
Read MoreEp. 25: Meet Child Welfare Advocate and Veteran Foster/Adoptive Parent: Missy Tyler Tarjick
Hearing about Missy’s lifelong involvement in foster care and adoption is inspiring, surprising, and sometimes even jaw dropping. From her own birth family’s fostering journey to her 20-year experience as a foster, adoptive and (more recently) guardianship parent – you are bound to be amazed. Hear about how she manages her large brood (how large?…
Read MoreThe Waiting Game
But before that kind of waiting, there’s another kind of waiting… The waiting that happens before you get your first placement. That can be the hardest waiting of all.
Read MoreKeynote Address: Children’s Study Home 2019 Meeting
On June 6, 2019, I shared the keynote address with State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier (D-Pittsfield) at the Children’s Study Home Annual Meeting. Rep. Farley-Bouvier shared some information about the Foster Parents Bill of Rights, and her legislative advocacy at the state level. I talked about the challenges of being on the front lines of foster…
Read MoreNo More Empty Nest
As an empty nester, Candice Tauscher wasn’t looking to take up a new hobby like golfing or gardening, she was ready to fill her nest again through foster care. “We probably move more slowly than the other parents,” Candice said. But Candice and her husband, Brian, are just as involved as those first-timers, attending…
Read MoreNo Judge Would Ever Take Her Away
There are a lot of well-meaning comments about our journey through foster care from well-intentioned friends and family that really rub me the wrong way. I don’t know how you do it; my heart couldn’t take it. You’re such an angel. That baby is so lucky to have you. These statements make me uncomfortable because…
Read MoreEp. 13: On Babies, Siblings, and Recovering From Trauma
Back to AOK Podcasts Click here to subscribe to our podcast A New Placement, and Looking Ahead AOK Founder, Marianna Litovich, has a new foster baby. And Kyle is instantly in love with her. Hear the dynamic duo talk about babies, siblings in foster care, recovering from trauma, and some…
Read MoreEp. 10: Resource Spotlight — All About KidsNet, Foster Care Support Through MSPCC
Back to AOK Podcasts Click here to subscribe to our podcast What is KidsNet? KidsNet is an important resource for foster families in Massachusetts. If you need respite, childcare, access to a family resource liaison, or many kinds of support, you should know about KidsNet! Click to listen to an interview with…
Read MoreA Letter To My (foster) Baby
To My Sweet Little Boy, The world got a little brighter sixteen months ago today. Because that was the day you were born. When I brought you home from the hospital at eight days old, I prepared for your quick departure. “Short term,” they said. I planned to love you for a couple of weeks,…
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