Adopting as a Single Parent- Lisa’s Story
Adopting as a single parent may seem like a choice full of obstacles and challenges. For Lisa Ho, she decided that being single and fostering had to be a part of her journey. She took the step most won’t and it changed her life for the better.
Becoming a Registered Foster Parent
In 2016 Lisa began the process of becoming a registered foster parent. At first, she only intended to foster. She didn’t think that fostering would lead to adoption. A year later, in 2017, she received a placement for two boys. Little did she know that these two boys, 6 months old and 2 ½ years old, were going to change her life forever.
Fostering While Single
Becoming a parent includes a lot of unspoken change. Lisa learned to compromise and combine all their schedules together. She knew that the impact she made on the boy’s life more than outweighed any change she had to make. Children in the foster system won’t always have the chance to have a positive influence in their lives so she knew that she had to do her best with the boys.
It’s Official
Two years after receiving the placement of the boys, Lisa officially adopted them. The family went through a long adoption journey. The common fear while fostering is the fear of getting too attached. Lisa knew that could happen but decided that the lives of the children mattered more. As a foster parent, she had to love the children as much as she could and be a positive influence in their lives. Some kids don’t get to experience that, and she wanted that to change.
The Best Advice
Lisa’s best advice is to always stay positive. You’re the children’s best advocate. As the foster parent you have to be supportive of them and make sure their transitions is easy. Foster families get to learn to love each other and watch each other grow. It’s a learning process for the parents as much as for the kids.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, we want to thank Lisa for sharing her story about adopting as a single parent. For those in the process of adopting from foster care, we offer free adoption day photography here.
