From 1 to 3 to 5 Kids

This weekend we took a respite placement: a 4 year old boy (R) and a 5 year old boy (P). We watched them for 2 nights to give their regular foster parents a break.

Having 5 kids 5 and under was kind of crazy at times, but manageable. Actually, for the first day, it was really 4 kids, since Matt and Ethan went to the Father-Son camp out with our church. Though of course, that meant that I was on my own. But seeing that I had a couple of days notice that they would be coming, I was prepared. I went to bed early the night before they came to make sure that I would be well rested. I had Matt pick up Pizza for the first night and utilized a freezer meal for the second. And I pretty much didn't expect to get any housework done all weekend. So basically, I was just focusing on the kids most of the time. Handling this many kids is a lot easier when you don't multitask.

R and P are really pretty good kids. Had a lot of energy, but they were sweet and so helpful with cleaning up and even the dishes. And they can pretty much take care of themselves (washing hands, going to the bathroom, changing clothes...so nice after dealing with 2 toddlers who need help with all of those things). So this weekend, our house was a lot louder but a lot more tidy (getting toddlers to clean up all their toys takes so long, we don't usually do it every night).

Going to church today required some creativity. Since we just have 1 sedan, we didn't have enough room in the car for everyone. Luckily, we live really close to the church and it wasn't raining. So Matt was able to bike to church, pulling Ethan and Sunshine in the bike trailer. And while having 5 kids at church and trying to keep them reverent took some work, it really wasn't that much more work than 3 kids.

This was only our second time doing respite (and first time doing respite while having a regular placement), but so far at least, I can say that I really enjoy doing respite. I'm happy to help out other foster parents, and it's fun to have new kids around the house, enjoy them, and then return them. Sometimes I think it's easier to be patient with kids when you know they'll be leaving soon. I guess doing respite is kind of like being a grandparent: love them, spoil them, return them.

And I think this experience has taught me to be more patient with my own kiddos, the ones I have to deal with day in and day out. It's reminded me that toddlers will grow up, that they can learn. And it reinforced in my mind yet again, that God can and does strengthen me to meet the challenges and tasks that are before me, especially when I pray for that help.