The Heart of a Foster Mum

It’s quiet in the house now, though not for long. Soon, the familiar sounds of tiny feet racing down the hallway will be replaced with stillness. My babies, who’ve called me “Mum” for over a year, will board a plane to meet their great-grandmother, a woman I hope will wrap them in love as I have.

The suddenness of this news left me breathless. There was no warning, no time to prepare for this shift. I sat with the weight of it yesterday, my youngest biological son beside me, quietly absorbing the change too. We’ve shared the joy and chaos these little ones brought to our lives; we’ve shared the responsibility of giving them a home, a family.

It’s funny how the simplest words can hold so much: “Mum.” They’re too young to understand titles, too young to know my name. But the bond is undeniable. Still, this is what I signed up for, not to keep them, but to prepare them for a future, whether with their mother, their family, or someone who can give them more than I ever could.

I don’t know how this transition will feel when they leave, even for two weeks. Grief has a way of surprising us when we least expect it, doesn’t it? But I know this: my purpose as a foster mum is not to hold on but to love deeply, fully, and then let go. And I trust that this love will follow them wherever they go.

For now, I’ll pour myself into writing, this quiet window of time an unexpected gift. The rhythm of the keyboard and the stories I shape will help me process, as they always have. And when the two weeks end, I’ll be here, ready to embrace whatever comes next, whether it’s the return of these little souls or the arrival of others who need the same love and stability.

Being a foster mum is not easy. But it’s joy. It’s purpose. It’s alignment with the deepest parts of who I am. And as I sit here, reflecting, I’m reminded that life has a way of leading us to exactly where we need to be, even when it’s hard to see the path.

#FosterParenting #WhenLoveTakesFlight #FosterCareJourney #ParentingWithPurpose #LettingGoWithLove #AmaraHartwood #writing