|
"Who wants some juice?"
|
|
|
"Alright, let's get some brown sugar."
|
|
"Can you help him with the last one? Noah are you all done?"
|
|
|
Tammy's day begins early, after a cup of coffee and some quiet moments
to herself a routine familiar to most moms gets underway at the Cutchen
house.
|
|
There is breakfast, homework, time with the toothbrush and making sure
snacks are packed and shoes are tied as the kids head off to school. But
there is more to this family's story.
|
|
|
"I have eight children and they range in age from 20 to 2."
|
|
"I sleep well at night. (laughs)"
|
|
|
Tammy and her husband Steven adopted three children after becoming
foster parents more than ten years ago, they now act as foster parents
to the others but are quick to mention they couldn't do it all by
themselves.
|
|
"It's a bunch of people supporting and working together for the kids."
|
|
|
"It's not something you ever do alone. I have tremendous family support,
community support. I have an incredible babysitter."
|
|
In fact Tammy says that the best resource has been other foster parents
families with the same dynamics facing similar challenges who can
offer support. She meets with other parents through the department of
health and human services and together they have developed a foster
parent¹s support group for Cumberland County.
|
|
|
"It's almost like a club of people who understood each other, understood
the terminology, understood the issues."
|
|
And a club to share the many rewards with.
|
|
|
"So many people will say you're so selfless and dedicated, and it's not
about that at all. It's about being very selfish, because I love children."
|
|
"Remember to be safe. Give me a kiss. Have a great day, I'll see you
after lunch."
|
|
|
"It's an incredible and rewarding experience. I guess that's one of the
messages. Not to say it's not difficult and challenging, but the rewards
far outweigh any of that."
|
