How fostering a teen changed the life of one Yuma family
May is National Foster Care month. All week long we’ve been bringing awareness to the need for more foster families in Yuma County. In part two, we hear from a foster family who shares some of the positive experiences they had in fostering a child.
The Sanchez family decided to become a foster family in 2015.
“Soon we are going to be empty nesters, our daughter will be graduating from high school and it’s just going to be my husband and I and we were thinking we need to use our time wisely, spread our love, spread our knowledge to other children,” Betina Sanchez, a foster mother said.
Soon after their wish came true.
“Our preference was a little more older and sure enough it was just about immediately after we were done with the classes they asked us if we could help out with a child, if we could take her in and we said absolutely and it’s been wonderful,” she said.
Sanchez says the experience has been very rewarding.
“Maddy, our foster child is really introverted and keeps to herself and to be able to teach her how to express her feelings if you feel happy or sad, be able to express that and now after being in my home for a year and her able to say yes I am okay or you know what I’m having a bad day that is such a rewarding feeling,” she explained.
“If we can make a difference in just one person, that’s enough for us,” Sanchez added.
She said having Maddy around has been, ” a pleasure, such a sweet, little, loving girl, and we really do enjoy her company.”
Sanchez also explained the certification process and how easier it was than expected.
“We were given so much information, so much knowledge that I wish we could have had before when we became parents. It’s like a birth parent manual!” she said.
Her biggest piece of advice…”J ust don’t judge,” she said. “Open your home without any conditions, without any doubts, complete trust, because that’s what they want, I mean they are coming from a new place, new environment, new home, new people, new new everything, the last thing these children need is judgement,” she said.
Though there will be tough times, Sanchez said she recommends becoming a foster parent.
“Becoming a foster parent, it might not be easy, but if we are given the right tools, the right information, we will be very successful,” she said.
Sanchez also shared how important it is as a foster family to practice patience. Everyone has good days and bad days but to always remember to be understanding and she says once you’ve learned those keys, you’ve made it. We continue “Found Families” in part three with a parent who shares how they overcame difficulties in fostering.
