Vol. 8, No. 2• May 2004

Why I Am in Foster Care

by Jawilla, age 12

I have been in foster care for about three years now because my mom couldn’t take care of me. My mom couldn’t take care of me because she did drugs when she had kids. I am the only one out of four of us who is still in foster care. One of my brothers is at my grandmother’s house. The other two are adopted. I decided not to get adopted because I still have my hopes up for going back home even though I know that I am not.

If my mom took care of us like she was supposed to, we would not be in foster care. I feel like my mom knew that she wasn’t supposed to do drugs, she was supposed to take care of us. Sometimes I feel like my mom just doesn’t care where we’re at or how we are. I think that my mom likes drugs better than she likes her own kids. Sometimes I wish my mom would know how it feels to be in foster care and not with the family.

I pray every night that my mom would stop doing drugs and do something better with her life. I still love my mom. . .

I hope that I won’t do the things that my mom did. I hope to make it to college and make it to the WNBA and be successful and respected in life. I also hope one day to support my whole family.

Jawilla received $15 for having her writing published.

Copyright � 2004 Jordan Institute for Families