Fostering Stories Project

MFFN wishes to publish a book about the fostering experience.  

It is a compilation of stories written by foster parents about the fostering experience – including those that have fostered, have been in care, have been or are social workers, or worked in some capacity with the fostering experience.

There is a wealth of information to share between foster parents that would be so helpful to this isolating life we are involved in -- our struggles, our mistakes, our laughter – are all essential to our growth and health. You would be surprised to hear what comes out at support meetings when foster parents realize they are not alone.

Every foster parent has a story in them to tell. Surprising the things we can laugh at later. Some of the best stories come out at family gatherings when everyone is only too happy to blab. Some stories are too painful to tell out loud so they rest silently in our hearts, needing to be heard. Some stories are so embarrassing we wish they’d stop being told. We need all these stories.

Worried about compromising yours or others’ privacy?

All stories will have names, places, dates, etc. changed to protect the confidentiality of our kids in care. Neither mffn nor its book project are affiliated with any fostering agencies. A list of authors will be put at the end of the book unless you wish to remain anonymous.

Don’t think you’re a “writer”?

Just write it like you tell it. DO NOT worry about proper sentence structure, grammar, spelling, etc. We will take care of all that mechanical stuff; we just need your story.

Send your story to:

Manitoba Foster Family Network
3rd floor, 555 Broadway Ave
Wpg. Mb R3C 0W4

or email submissions to: stories.mffn@mts.net

For further information call Lisa at 940-1282

Sample Story - Selective Memories (PDF) Sample Story - Selective Memories (PDF)

Sample Story - Selective Memories (DOC) Sample Story - Selective Memories (DOC)

Writing Tips

Just say it: Stories roll out naturally when we share them out loud.
Sit with a friend and tell them your story with a tape recorder on to catch the natural flow. Afterward, use the tape to write your story. Send it to us.

Best times at the worst times: Some of the best tid-bits of inspiration come to mind when we are not able to write them down: while shopping, driving, bathing, sky-diving, the twilight zone between sleep and awake …  later we can’t recall those inspiring thoughts.
Solution: try to keep a piece of paper and pen on you to jot down a phrase to jog memory later. Failing that, grab anything you can write on – a napkin, your shirt, your arm, etc.

Feeling intimidated by that blank white piece of paper in front of you? Where to begin …
Start by “brain storming”
In point form, jot down all ideas for your story just as they come to mind.
-Flesh them out into full thoughts later
-then organize them into the story you want.
-Start in the middle if it’s easier.
-Start at the end.
-Organize later.

Tiny snippets?: All you can think of are little special or humorous moments, tiny snippets?
Great! Perhaps some of these can be compiled together to form a story. Use “artistic license” to combine them into a connected time line even if they happened months apart.
 
Daily journal: Keep a daily journal, either at night or first thing in morning, of any daily event/comment that stood out for you. After a while you may find it easy to choose relevant points to string together into a story.

Write honestly about your feelings. Don’t be afraid to bare your soul: admit feelings of failure, insecurity, anxiety, fear, anger, shyness, … it is something we can all relate to.
If you let the reader in to your honest feelings, it not only makes the moment ring true and become real to the reader but you also gain their sympathy and respect. This may be difficult because we always want to be the shining hero – (I know I do ) but real life rarely works out like that and readers know that. Sometimes honesty takes a lot of courage; but it always humbles the reader because we all share those fears. Remember also, the stories will remain anonymous.

Here are some points which may help trigger ideas from your own life experiences:

  • What is your fondest memory?
  • Your scariest moment
  • The funniest thing
  • Your most embarrassing moment
  • The most shocking thing
  • the most frustrating
  • epiphany moments of realization
  • How do you know you’ve made a difference? That breakthrough moment…
  • Foster children’s firsts (first b-day party etc)
  • What happens when the professionals “know more” than you
  • Traditions that have developed in your home, that have been changed in your home, which may have become a part of your home
  • Why do you foster? 
  • Obstacles you may have dealt with while fostering:
    • sleep issues
    • swearing
    • fighting
    • lying
    • self-esteem
    • school
    • sex ed talk (humorous or otherwise)
    • inappropriate behavior
    • stealing
    • curfew
    • drinking
    • incontinence
    • indifference/attachment
    • secrets
    • racism
    • self-mutilation
    • obsessive/compulsive disorders
    • autism
    • FAS
    • ADD or ADHD
    • other behavior or health issues
  • Or you can just write about ‘a day in the life…’ stream of thought

We learn so much from each other, from our successes and failures – all this information is valuable for us as foster parents to share.

Remember: Do not worry about how you write it sentence structure, spelling, format, censoring, etc.  That’s what we, the editors, are for. We just want your story. 

We also may available to come and interview you for the story, but remember, it is likely better to put your own words in first rather than letting us try to interpret your perspective.

To submit your story, please click here.