Yesterday was what I call the “kiddie” march in our local town. It’s held by HeadStart and is to bring awareness that education for young children is an excellent thing. Over a hundred kids gather and march down the main road, stopping traffic and following a band. It is an awesome sight.
FS’s Infant/Toddler teacher had planned to go with me, because me with just FS and Babygirl in a park filled with over a hundred children did NOT sound like a good time.
Halfway through the march I hear something behind me. It’s a voice calling out FS’s name. Oh.No.
There she was, FS’s biological mother, marching behind us with one of her cronies trying to get his attention. The teacher had FS with her, and I was behind her, so I sort of tried to shield him, but it was no use. Eventually, he heard her and saw her. The next thing I knew she had abandoned her daughter to go up and hold FS’s hand - so there he was holding both hands.
We got to the park and I saw biomom try to pull FS away with her. I do not think she was attempting to run with him, but she was trying to assert dominance over him. The teacher did NOT let go.
She ended up sitting with us as we ate our ice cream, and the teacher watched over him while he played on the playground - with his biomom right there the whole time. I tried to avoid the situation, as there were so many things I wanted to say, but knew I shouldn’t. She was so focused on FS, however, that she lost her five-year-old daughter, and didn’t seem concerned about losing her.
Eventually it was time to go, and the teacher had me walk out and said she’d be behind in a few minutes. She was, and I could clearly hear FS saying, “I don’t wanna” with a pouty expression on his face. Turns out that his biomom was crying and hugging him tight. I do understand that it’s difficult, but her social worker hs explained that her doing that makes it more difficult for FS, and she’s not supposed to.
The teacher then told me that she’d overheard biomom making this statement:
“She didn’t buy you sandals? Don’t worry - momma will buy you sandals shortly.”
Yeah - he just barely (last weekend) got new shoes - like I wouldn’t get him sandals as summer came on. Uh huh. Stupid little comments like that can make you livid, but, as his social worker has said many times, there are so many more fish to fry, it’s good to not get hung up on the minnows.
Foster Parenting, FS