Showing Up For Children in the Way They Deserve (feat. Chelsea Floro, Moses Closet of The Woodlands)
Life as a foster parent is a constant learning process.
You complete extensive training, but quickly realize that there’s always more to learn. As you figure out the best ways to meet the needs of the children in your care, one thing continues to become clear—every child comes with their own unique needs.
The best way to grow in how you’re supporting the children in your care is to gain experience, and that’s why I’m so grateful to have sat down with Chelsea Floro. Chelsea is an adoptive, foster, and biological mom to eight children. She’s also the founder of The Moses Closet of The Woodlands and the face behind the Real Life Foster Mom blog.
In this episode, Chelsea talks about her nine-year journey supporting children and families in foster care, her experiences in learning how to provide the best support for children with special needs, how she’s learned to let go of life’s “what ifs,” and so much more.
You can also find this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and more.
Key Takeaways
- Sometimes, you may not be able to provide a “forever home” for a child for reasons outside your control. Although Chelsea did her best to get one foster child the special, trauma-informed care he needed, she was eventually told that he would be better suited to an environment in which he could be an only child. Chelsea had to let him go so he could thrive in the care of another family she knew and trusted. In some cases, a child’s best path forward might diverge from yours, but this does not mean you did something wrong.
- You don’t have to officially adopt to make a lasting connection with a child. Chelsea opened her home to a teenage girl who ended up not wanting to be adopted due to past experiences. When she turned 18, Chelsea thought they may not be in one another’s lives very much anymore. That’s when she told Chelsea that she thinks of Chelsea and her husband as her mom and dad, and deeply valued the role they had in her life. Even if a child in the foster care system stays with you for just a short time, you can make a lasting impact on their life.
- Helping children deal with challenges requires patience. Whether a child is dealing with complex mental or physical struggles or exhibiting challenging behaviors, it takes time for parents to learn the best ways to guide them, connect with them, and help them feel safe. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed at many points in the process, but don’t forget to give yourself grace during the challenging moments as you remain consistent.
Resources
- Connect with Chelsea on Facebook or Instagram
- Learn more about The Moses Closet of The Woodlands
Meet the Guests
Chelsea Floro is a proud mom of 8 through biology, adoption & fostering. She loves Jesus, her family, and her husband Ryan, with whom she lives in The Woodlands of Texas. Over her nine years of experience serving children in foster care and their families, Chelsea has loved and supported many children with diverse needs. She’s the founder of a non-profit called The Moses Closet of The Woodlands, which provides tangible items needed by children and families in the foster, adoptive, and kinship community. Chelsea is also the face behind the blog Real Life Foster Mom.
