Hi Dreamer,

I'm 45 (almost) and my son is 8. I have to say he keeps me on my toes. I have more patience now than I did in my twenties, but I've also forgotten how to play.

Foster parenting can be a wonderful thing to do for a child, but please remember many of those children will have serious issues. Are you prepared to deal with those issues? Talk to the social workers who administer the programs in your area. Do your research. Most of all, ask yourself why you want to do this. Is it for the children? Or is it for yourself?

You can also check out Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Guardian ad Litem, mentoring programs and the Foster Grandparents programs. Those programs will allow you to interact with children to see what the kids of today are like without the 'live in' committment. It can be a great way to practice being with kids if you aren't used to it.

(Today's kids ARE different)They're still kids who want to love and be loved, to trust and be trusted, but many of them also have an awareness and a sense of equality that kids a generation ago didn't have. I guess what I'm trying to say is, make sure your head and your heart are coming from the same place.