I have read many blog posts about people's opinions about this comment from others about why foster parenting is not for them: "I would get too attached." The essence of those posts is always that the writer feels the implication is that THEY don't get attached.
I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt, so when I read those posts, I would always think, "I know that other person's intention was NOT to imply that the foster parent is heartless and cold and can just let the kids go easily when it is time for them to move out of the foster home... and the writer really shouldn't take it so personally that that's what the comment means."
And then it happened to me.
An acquaintance had met Tigger a couple of times. The next time I saw her without the baby, she said, "I just couldn't do it. I am one of those people who gets really attached." And then I took it as an implication that I DON'T get attached. My response: "Well, I get attached, too."
Now I understand. Now I know that even if the conscious brain may know that the comment doesn't imply that the foster parent doesn't have a heart, the Mama Bear heart still takes it that way.
No comments:
Post a Comment