Fostering and adopting children is a noble cause, but it’s also a tricky topic to navigate. There’s a lot that goes into both of these things, from the process of actually doing the act of fostering or adopting, to what happens afterward and how we should approach these new family members. Both fostering and adopting have a lot of problems as well, sometimes turning people off from the idea due to how mentally and emotionally exhausting they can be. A few TED Talks have been given on the subjects as a way of helping individuals learn more as well as discussing how we can approach each situation better. Here are a few of those TED Talks.
Life in a Trash Bag: Restoring Dignity to Foster Children – Rob Scheer
In this talk, Rob Sheer discusses the story of when his family decided to start fostering. After four kids showed up at his door, each with only a trash bag that held their belongings, he knew that he had to take them out of the system and give them something better. Sheer discusses the harsh reality of being in foster care and how people can make a difference in the lives of these kids, whether it’s by adopting them or through other means.
An Adoption Story – Jillian Lauren
In this talk, Jillian Lauren talks about her experience as a mother who adopted her son both through her perspective, and her adopted child’s. She also shares her thoughts on how far adoption has come, but how regardless, it still requires a lot of growth as there are still many kids in need of a home. Lauren also shares her own struggles being an adoptive parent in addition to sharing the happiness that giving her son a permanent home and family has brought her.
How I Use the Internet to Build Families – Hank Fortener
Hank Fortner is the founder of AdoptTogether.org, a crowdfunding site that is built around building the finances required to cover the cost of adopting a child for those who can’t afford it. Hank believes that the marks the world leaves on us directly correlate to the mark we leave on the world, and how we can take the pain we’ve felt in order to accomplish something good. Hank feels that adoption is one solution to this. He and his family have adopted 8 children from all around the world as well as fostered over 36 children. By the time you’re done watching this talk, you’ll be looking into fostering yourself!