Foster Care: Thousands of Connecticut Kids Need Temporary Homes

I come across a lot of these foster parent recruitment articles. You know the ones where they beg and plead for you to help out by allowing a stolen child to live in your house? They try to sell you on how fulfilling a life it is to be a foster parent. They give you a horrific scenario or a glimpse into the day to day of the rare success story.

New Orleans dad finds calling in foster fatherhood

For Andre Williams, being a father was so rewarding that his own two sons were just the beginning.

See, really what they're doing is trying to suck people into their little scam. Sometimes they'll do a special article on someone who has found their calling from God.

Single mom from Washington Township is the foster parent of the year

On the rear window of her sport utility vehicle, Kris Best has a display of stick-figure decals that represent all the members of her family, pets included.

If you read enough of these articles, you'd think that the foster care system was like a trip to Disney Land.

Foster Care: Thousands of Connecticut Kids Need Temporary Homes

The kids are grown and moved on. Retirement had been part of the plan, but the economy tanked, the 401(k) dried up and you're still working, at least for a few more years. You know what would make that empty nest seem a little less empty?

They always need new foster parents. The old ones eventually catch on to what the system is all about, others get your kid for their own, and don't want any more. So only a few are in it for the long haul.

Caldwell County DSS holding foster parent classes

A good foster parent is someone who copes well with change, works well with teams, has patience for imperfect behavior and can give without expecting immediate rewards.