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2 months ago I had a foster parent call me to care for her new foster girl who is 3 yo but was a shaken baby at 4 months so her developmental age is only about 1 yo.
Things were going well. She was here from 8 am until 1:30 pm 3 days a week and I love her to pieces.
She recently started OT and goes to a school so now the bus drops her off at 12:30 pm. I have to go out to the bus, get her off and carry her into the house.
In order to have a clear path to walk on with her, I have to go out before the bus arrives and shovel snow (we've been getting a LOT). I'll be 60 in May.
This is not only physically difficult for me carrying a chunky 3 yo across the yard, but I do not feel comfortable doing it for not only my own safety, but hers as well.
Not to mention, while all this is going on, I have to leave the other kids in the house unsupervised.
Since she's a foster child, she is elibible for state pay and the amount isn't that great. For 1 hour per day...it's not worth it in so many ways other than monetary.
Foster dad called me yesterday saying his schedule has changed and she will now be here 5 days a week. They want to change her schedule so she attends afternoon classes...but, then she would be coming at 4:30 am and I know there is no way she would go back to sleep.
I told the foster dad they need to make some other arrangements for her, but that I would keep her this week.
Now, I am so fearful of carrying this child on the snow and ice across the yard that I'm regretting not telling them I could no longer keep her at all.
My question is, should I go ahead and tell them tomorrow that I can't keep her any more? I know it would leave them in a bind, but I would rather do that than risk injury to her or myself.
My porch is covered with 3 inches of ice. I've been trying to salt it all day but it's so cold it's not doing much good.
My fear comes from a fall I had several years ago when I fell on the ice and received a head injury which I still get migraines from a couple times a week.
My back has been out for over a week so the combination really scares me and I don't know what to do. I know I cannot continue to care for her, but I feel I shouldn't try to do it this week, except I told them I would.
Things were going well. She was here from 8 am until 1:30 pm 3 days a week and I love her to pieces.
She recently started OT and goes to a school so now the bus drops her off at 12:30 pm. I have to go out to the bus, get her off and carry her into the house.
In order to have a clear path to walk on with her, I have to go out before the bus arrives and shovel snow (we've been getting a LOT). I'll be 60 in May.
This is not only physically difficult for me carrying a chunky 3 yo across the yard, but I do not feel comfortable doing it for not only my own safety, but hers as well.
Not to mention, while all this is going on, I have to leave the other kids in the house unsupervised.
Since she's a foster child, she is elibible for state pay and the amount isn't that great. For 1 hour per day...it's not worth it in so many ways other than monetary.
Foster dad called me yesterday saying his schedule has changed and she will now be here 5 days a week. They want to change her schedule so she attends afternoon classes...but, then she would be coming at 4:30 am and I know there is no way she would go back to sleep.
I told the foster dad they need to make some other arrangements for her, but that I would keep her this week.
Now, I am so fearful of carrying this child on the snow and ice across the yard that I'm regretting not telling them I could no longer keep her at all.
My question is, should I go ahead and tell them tomorrow that I can't keep her any more? I know it would leave them in a bind, but I would rather do that than risk injury to her or myself.
My porch is covered with 3 inches of ice. I've been trying to salt it all day but it's so cold it's not doing much good.
My fear comes from a fall I had several years ago when I fell on the ice and received a head injury which I still get migraines from a couple times a week.
My back has been out for over a week so the combination really scares me and I don't know what to do. I know I cannot continue to care for her, but I feel I shouldn't try to do it this week, except I told them I would.
: will wait
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