FOSTERING AND…SPIDERS…!

 Boredom is never a problem in fostering. Because you never get any.

I've always hated being bored. I think people should hate being bored. If you're bored it means life is slipping through your fingers, like Abba said.

I love my fostering because it's always interesting, and I sometimes get an unexpected pat on the back.

So, today was a delight.

As I've mentioned previously, we're hosting a Parent and Child placement right now, and as ever in fostering, I'm finding out more and more about them with every passing day.

Every passing night come to think of it, but we'll talk about night feeds another time…

No, see what's gone down over the last 24 hours is this;

The mother is a mid-teenager, the baby now 5 months old. They've been with us nearly 3 months. In that time we've learned that the mother has a 'thing' about cleanliness and tidyness - which is cool in the parent of a baby (unless it goes too far, which she doesn't).

She also has a thing about…

SPIDERS!

Oh goodness, does she have a thing about spiders.  For example; she keeps 3 lights on in her bedroom and a torch by the bedside so she can watch out for a spider. Most nights she thinks she sees one and texts me to come deal with it.

What she calls a 'spider' is what we used to call a 'money spider', as in:  if you're visited by one of those microscopic babies money will come your way. They're not even big enough to be called tiny. In fact I doubt they're spiders at all.

We've had a long spell of hot weather and bugs tend to come out, so we get the odd little ladybird and such. But our Parent is beside herself when one appears.

Problem.

Now, in fostering, problems are what it's all about. Or to be precise, solving problems is what it's all about.

I'm a bit squeamish about spiders myself, but I don't let on because that might validate her anguish and make things worse.

So we bought some "Spideraway", a spray to use in your room to keep them out. We checked and double checked that it was safe, and it was. So safe a baby 'spider' came out to stretch it's legs the same night.

Not just spiders BTW, no. Flies, moths, bugs of all types.

Then…brainwave.

We bought her a mosquito net.

It came the same day (Jeff Bezos goes from strength to strength yes?).

And we set it up over her bed.

It's a flimsy structure but it KEEPS BUGS OUT.

So she's happy. 

If nothing else she feels looked-after.

Her solicitor visted and said out loud "We're all enjoying this placement.." (The "We" being the dozen or so professionals entwined in this case.

Know what she said then:

"We don't have too many success stories…"

A good day in fostering. I felt like rewarding myself. 

With my own mosquito net…!