When children come to live with us, they are often frightened by the holidays. Most foster kids have horrible Christmas memories. Their lives were train wrecks during the holidays.
Early on in our journey of fostering, we had an infant placed with us that would lead to an adoption. This child was our first to be diagnosed with an FASD. Her biological family had/has many mental health issues.
We used to frequent a favorite Christmas event. During our first Christmas with Little Pro, our world was rocked by the relatives. At this event, a dear friend was holding Little Pro. One of Little Pro's relatives came up to our friend and snatched the baby. The friend was so overcome with terror she could not speak. The fright disabled her brain. After some tense moments, friend regained control and took the child back into her custody.
This memory never leaves me at Christmas. I can only imagine the fright our children have when reliving Christmas terrors. My world feels with empathy because of this horrible Christmas memory. PTSD can grip me, so I have an empathy for our many children during the holidays.
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