I get the struggle. I really do. I’ve been there and done that.
But, I’m really frustrated with the decisions that some really good foster parents I know are making. It’s such a small, silly thing, but it can put your placements at risk. We aren’t allowed to share photos of our kids with the world. It’s just the rule. It’s a rule that’s there to protect our fragile little ones. It protects them from their biological families in some ways. In other ways, it protects the biological family. And, even if it doesn’t really serve that purpose it’s still a rule. There are lots of silly rules we have to follow. But, we’re the adults. We knew the rules when we started playing the game. And if we break the rules, it’s our children that will pay the penalty. I can’t think of a more stupid reason (I’m sure that CPS has a few) to have a displacement than a foster parent sharing photos of their foster child, but I see foster parents do it all the time.
Please, for me, take your kiddos down from your Face Book page. And don’t show them on your blog. Keep them safe and protect them. Follow the rules for them, not for yourself.
And, in the long run, it will be worth the wait. I *cannot* wait for the first post that I can share my little dude with you all. He’s beautiful. And I desperately want the world to know him as my own, but he’s not yet. And there’s nothing that I would do to risk him leaving us. It’s just not worth it.
It’s not against the rules here for foster kids pictures to be shared on private Facebook pages.
I don’t think it would be an issue here either, but if it’s your profile photo, then anyone can see it. And, I’ve seen photos of kids of people who I didn’t know. That means that they weren’t restricted. I just hate to see silly things that could put our kids at risk, know what I mean?