For those of us fortunate enough to have grown up in a loving family, we often take for granted our parents and those who cared for and raised us. This young boy’s story is one that will remind you how not everyone is so lucky. 13-year-old Tim from Texas has grown up in the foster care system. Now a teenager, all he wants is someone to call him their son.
13-Year-Old Foster Child Just Wants To Be Adopted
When Tim was just three years old he entered the foster care system. For whatever reason, 10 years later, he is still there. Now a teenager, he appeared on a local Dallas news program’s Wednesday’s Child in hopes of finally finding a family to love him. Tim wants to be adopted so badly that his caseworker flew him from another part of the state just to be on the program. All he wants, he said on the program, is someone who wants to call him their son.
An Angel At Home
Currently, Tim lives at a residential treatment center for foster children. He has been in various foster homes, but nothing was ever permanent. Tim insists that he is very well-behaved and that a prospective family won’t have any problems.
“At home, I am an angel. Perfect,” he said of his behavior at the center.
On the program, they showed various photos of Tim as a younger child. One of him when he was three and entered the system. Another when he was seven. In that photo, you can see his big, bright, shining blue eyes. As the newscaster pointed out, though Tim still has those big blue eyes, they are looking a little more tired these days. This is because he is tired. He is tired of moving from placement to placement and longs for a family that will provide stability, consistency, and of course, a loving home. He says he has trouble sleeping at night because of this.
“Kind of like being in a prison without walls. You got runners, but then where you gonna [sic] go if you run? Absolutely nowhere but right back to where you ran from,” he explained on the program.
Tim’s Ideal Family
As already mentioned, Tim just wants a family that loves him and won’t one day decide that they don’t want him anymore. He wants a family that won’t just raise him until he’s an adult, but one that he can call ‘family’ for the rest of his life. A place – and people – that he can call home.
“I know I want a mom and dad at least,” he said.
In a mother, he’s hoping to find someone kind, caring, and understanding. He knows that mothers are usually people who worry about their children because they love them. Tim hopes that he’ll find a mother that worries about him like the ones he has seen on TV or that his schoolmates have.
“Someone that cares, who’s always worried. I may seem embarrassed sometimes (by her worrying) but she’ll still be wondering if I’m OK. She’ll ask how my day is every time I walk through the door,” he explained.
In a father, he is hoping for someone who can be his personal hero. Someone who will throw a ball around with him and teach him about what it means to be a man. A father who can be a role model for him, someone who he can look up to.
“If I go outside, he’ll go outside with me. He’ll give me some normalcy.” Tim said.
Lastly, Tim would love it if in his family he had siblings. He has spent much of his life alone. Having brothers and sisters to play with, get into mischief with, and support each other as they grow up would be a dream come true for Tim.
“Kind of gets boring playing by yourself. Plus, you can learn from them.” he said.
From Foster to Family: a Path to Freedom
At the end of the day, having a loving family means freedom. Freedom for Tim to grow, learn, make mistakes, and find success in life. It means no more stressing about where he’s going next and what he will do when he’s 18 and too old to be in foster care anymore. It also means that, unlike what he’s found in the foster system, he’ll have a family who trusts him. One that loves him as much as he does them, and one that will be with him for life.
“Freedom. Freedom to go out the door when I want and them not worrying about me coming back or not, because they know they can trust me,” Tim explained.
For more information on how to adopt Tim, please send all approved home studies to LaQueena Warren at LaQueena.Warren@dfps.texas.gov. Please remember to include Tim’s name within the subject line.
If you’re not licensed, please visit adoptchildren.org to find out more information on how to become licensed to foster and/or adopt or contact LaQueena Warren at 817-304-1272.
Source: healthylifeboxx.com
