We've fostered black, white, and multi-racial children. Our family definitely gets a lot of double-take looks when we have children that are of a different race than Husband, Elise, and I.
Mostly I try to not notice people noticing us. Not because I think they're thinking anything bad. On the contrary-- when I do make eye contact, I often see sappy, sympathetic looks. And it makes me feel weird. I know that people are making all sorts of assumptions and even if those assumptions are spot on, I don't like that an assumption was made in the first place.
I've had people look at our family and then ask me, "Are you a foster parent?" I know that no one means anything by it, so I'm always polite... but I do feel like it's a kind of rude question for a stranger to ask. What makes them think that these aren't my adopted kids? My best friend's kids that I'm babysitting? My step kids and Husband is really my friend or my relative?
One thing that being a foster parent has taught me is that you shouldn't make assumptions about people.
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