Child-free and Fostering a Teen
Imagine being very clear on the idea that you and your spouse will remain child-free, and then…you parent a teenager! Mara Shorr and her husband, Russell, did just that. This path began when Mara had a conversation with a good friend about becoming a volunteer advocate for a child in foster care. Between not being a parent and not knowing much about the foster care system, Mara wasn’t sure this was the right move for her. But Mara’s experience as a healthcare advocate for her grandmother and her brother, who struggled with substance abuse, actually prepared her well for this role.
Mara has advocated for four children; and the third was a teenager Mara and Russell invited to live with them. About advocating and fostering, Mara says, “It is the most worthwhile and heartbreaking thing to do.” She shares about their experience becoming a big blended family with her teen’s relatives, navigating “trauma landmines,” and offers suggestions on the variety ways in which people can support children in the foster care system. Very inspiring!
Resources:
Follow Mara Shorr on Instagram
Volunteer as a Court Appointed Special Advocate® (CASA) and guardian ad litem (GAL)
Mentor! Department of Children and Families (available in each state) have mentorship programs (this one is in San Francisco)
Find a local foster closet to donate gently-used clothes
Speak with local group homes and ask them for their needs (socks, underwear, shoes, suitcases)
Donate to One Simple Wish, which grants wishes (bikes, blankets, fun experiences, etc.) to children in the foster care system
Provide a child with a duffel bag from Foster Love