Maybe Days (A Book Review)

There’s a really great kids book for children in foster care called “Maybe Days” by Jennifer Wilgocki and Marcia Kahn Wright.

But in a not-so-shocking turn of events, it’s not just good for kids—it’s good for adults too.

One of the pages from the book goes like this:

Waiting can be hard. When kids ask questions, the grown-ups often say “maybe.”

Will I go back to my parents? Maybe.

Will I stay with my foster parents? Maybe.

Will I live with my brothers and sisters again? Maybe.

Will I have more visits with my parents? Maybe.

It’s a hard thing to think about, right? Don’t you just want to jump into the pages of that book and say “I know the answer!” But the truth is, so often, that we don’t. And those are the “maybe days” that foster care faces.

As foster parents, social workers, volunteers, and friends, we need to learn to sit in that uncertainty and do our best to provide stability and information to foster kiddos as much as possible.

One way to support foster kids in the “maybe days” is to not let the maybes get in the way of other things. Things such as going to school, birthdays, fun activities, learning a new hobby, and understanding more about themselves. 

Those could be called the “definitely days.” 

“Will someone take me to school? Definitely.

“Will someone come to my soccer game?” Definitely

“Will I have a warm bed and good food?” Definitely

We need to allow kids to be kids and hold those ambiguous burdens where we can. Another way to support foster kids is explaining in simple terms who is who and how things work. What are lawyers? Where are my parents? Why did I come to stay with you? Where do I go if I need help?

Understanding the roles of various people in the foster care system can help them feel one step closer to having their “maybe days” answered.

Bonus points:  The last pages contain additional resources and tools for parents and other adults—diving deeper into the content of the book.

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