Three sisters walking and laughing on sunset in the park.
Once upon a time, there were three little girls whose mom loved them very much. It’s just too bad she loved meth more. On the days when their mom wasn’t strung out, things were very, very good and they flourished. They made it to school on time, had lunches packed for them, were greeted at the door when they got home, and tucked into bed at night.
Sadly, this kind of day grew fewer and farther between over the course of the year. And when their mom was using, things were very, very bad and they suffered.
Teachers Grew Concerned About the Three Sisters
Child protective services was called when the youngest’s kindergarten teacher saw her student – let’s call her Shania – come to school wearing the same clothes, now dirty and smelly, all week long. Shania reluctantly admitted she hadn’t seen her mom in several days and that her two older sisters, who were only 9 and 11, had been taking care of themselves and her.
Mom was eventually found at the local crack house. But, by then it was too late. For their safety, her daughters had been placed into the protective custody of the state and were living with a foster family.
A Foster Family Was Found
Luckily, a foster family was found who would take all three of them together. One of the most traumatic experiences a child being placed into foster care might endure is being separated from her siblings. Just like with Shania, it is oftentimes the siblings who stick together to survive difficult situations. They rely on each other, making it even more stressful for brothers and sisters to be torn apart.
Their foster family was able to keep Shania and her sisters in the same school, so they could see their friends and stay on track with their schoolwork. It took some time to find a family member for the girls. Unfortunately, the father’s identity was unknown so this limited the options, but eventually, an aunt on mom’s side was located.
Aunt to the Rescue
The aunt was devastated to learn about her nieces’ situation. She had no idea what had been happening since her sister stopped communicating with her months earlier. Further, she didn’t have enough room for them in her current living situation at her apartment in another county. She started searching for a bigger home in a neighborhood zoned for their school. It took her a few months to find a place. In the meantime, the foster family kept the girls safe and cared for, and frequently met with the aunt of whom the girls were clearly fond.
They transitioned easily into their aunt’s home and were even able to have visits with their mom when it was safe to do so. It took a couple years, but mom eventually kicked her habit entirely and she moved in with them all. They are now one big happy family, who might not be if the right foster family hadn’t come along.
How the Foster Family Helped
Some of the things this foster family did right were:
- Took in all three siblings so they could stay together
- Kept the children in their school even though it was a few miles further away than the one in their own neighborhood
- Waited patiently for the aunt to move and communicated with her frequently
- Spoke positively about the girls’ mom
Learn More About How to Help Three Sisters Like These
It’s simple things like this that make a huge difference in children’s lives.
Perhaps you would consider making a difference too! You can get more information and see answers to commonly asked questions on the “Become a foster parent” page of our website. Please connect with us TODAY through our “Contact us” page. TFI provides services in Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas and there is information for all states on this page.