Reflections on Raising Children in Foster Care (feat. Christian & Morgan Nichols)
When you first become a foster parent, you are likely to get a lot of advice. Some of it is extremely helpful, while some may not apply to your specific situation. When you combine the uncertainty of stepping into a new role with the fact that every child brings a completely different story to the table, it can be difficult to know exactly what to expect as a first-time foster parent. That’s why I’m so thrilled that my guests today are here to offer valuable insight into what this experience can look like.
Christian & Morgan Nichols are an incredible couple who have been on their foster care journey for over three years. Morgan is an elementary school nurse and Christian serves as the Director of Nursing over two intensive care units.
In this episode, they share how they navigated the transition to becoming foster parents, some of the most helpful advice they have received along the way, the highs and lows of foster care, and much more.
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Key Takeaways
- You need support from sources outside yourself. Not only do we need to rely on God for strength on our difficult days, but we also need to have a supportive community around us. As they say—it takes a village! There are days when being a foster parent is hard, stressful, and you feel out of your depth. It’s on those days that you can lean on Christ and the church.
- Any child can experience trauma. Some foster parents have a preconceived idea that young babies don’t have a chance to experience trauma. However, the reality is that all children feel the pain of separation from their biological parents. Even in the womb, a baby can experience all kinds of negative factors that impact their behavior later in life. It’s crucial to keep this in mind so that you can be understanding of a child’s unique challenges—no matter how old they are when they enter your home.
- Hold fast on the hard days. There are going to be days when it feels like everything is going wrong. Your child is misbehaving, you’ve gotten horrible sleep, and all you want to do is throw in the towel. But remember—there is fruit, joy, and peace to be had through the process too! As we like to say here at The Riverside Project, things that matter are hard. Our encouragement is to hold fast on the hard days and trust that God is always at work.
Meet the Guests
Christian & Morgan Nichols are an incredible couple who have been on their foster care journey for over three years. Morgan is an elementary school nurse and Christian serves as the Director of Nursing over two intensive care units. Together, they are not only dedicated to their professional lives but also to their family. They are foster parents to two twin boys and they also have two biological children.
