"Can you talk about Foster Care?"

Today at dinner:

Baby 4: Can you talk about Foster Care?

Me: Sure, what do you want to know?

Baby 4: The keeping kids safe story.

Me: All kids need to have a house where they won't get sick or hurt. If a Mommy and Daddy can't keep their kid safe in their house, then the kid can live in a new house with a different family while his Mommy and Daddy learn about keeping kids safe and fix their house. That's called Foster Care.

Baby 4: Then the Daddy comes to get the baby.

Me: Yes, if the Mommy and Daddy have a house where the kid won't get sick or hurt, then they can all live together again.

Baby 4: I want to live with you forever.

Me: Forever is not foster care. Sometimes the Mommy and Daddy can't learn to keep kids safe. That's a very hard job to do. If the kid can't go with their parents, then they can stay forever with their foster family, and it's called Adoption. Adoption means forever.

Baby 4: Like my sister?

Me: Yes, like your sister. She's never going to leave.

Baby 4: Like me.

Me: I hope so.