Frankly Ronda: C is Five

C's laugh is true and mischievous. He has a twinkle in his eye that peaks out from under a swath of hair.
C is five.

C was removed from his home on Monday, October 1.
C is five.

C had his first Family Visit Friday. He came home with snacks, four books, an outfit, a calendar book with stickers and photos of his family. He excitedly showed me the items and as he worked through the photos he quickly became upset and started crying. He misses his family. This morning he covered his head under his blanket and had his family photos clutched to him as he cried softly. We validated his feelings of sadness, let him know we are here and patiently waited for him to emerge.
C is five.

C has been laughing and playing Spot It with Papa (my Dad.) He showed a child's happiness at winning the game. Papa and C head out the door for a walk along the creek and C grabs his stick that he found yesterday.
C is five.

I am explaining foster care to C who is five. I am trying to help him learn terms like Court, Judge and CPS. I am helping him understand that a Judge at Court will decide what happens next and that all of us have to do what the Judge says. I have to tell him that I cannot take him home today.
C is five.

Young kids in foster care are always thinking about their family. I have learned it is good to create a bag for them to place things during the week that they can take to their weekly Family Visit. This usually contains school papers, art work and items they identify during the week. It creates a concrete representation of "when they go home" or when they will see their family next. C took a bag yesterday to his Family Visit with a gifts for his sisters and pictures for his Mama. We started a red bag today and have put art work in it and he placed all his family photos in the bag "for when he goes home."
C is five.

We bought a halloween costume for C this week. It is a policeman outfit. C asked me this morning if he could take home with him. I assure him that he can.
C is five.

We have lots of people and events in C's life so far ... and more will come:
-CASA volunteer
-CPS Transporter
-CPS Investigator
-C's Attorney
-Jonathan's Place Caseworker
-Judge

10/1 - Placement
10/2 - 3 Day Medical Check Up at Jonathan's Place
10/3 - Started Kindergarten in new school
10/4 - 1st court date rescheduled to 10/12
10/5 - 1st Family Visit with transporter
10/10 - 30 Day Medical Appointment scheduled
10/12 - CASA visit scheduled
10/12 - Next court date
C is five.

Trauma is described as negative events that are emotionally painful and overwhelm a person's ability to cope. The types of trauma that tend to have the greatest adverse psychological consequences are those related to interpersonal or intentional trauma. Trauma changes your being. Trauma never just goes away. We do not judge people by how they manage trauma. Children of trauma have no choice.
We have over 450,000 children in foster care in America. And the numbers are not going down.

Glimpes:

Foster care notice, monthly Calendar, house rules and fire escape plan required to be posted by Texas law. Daily schedule and feeling chart to help with daily interactions.