My parents fostered a 12 year old after I left the house for Tech. Way behind in school, didn't know his multiplication tables, etc. He ended up graduating high school (Warhill) and being asked to give a 10 minute speech which he knocked out of the park.

Not all foster kids are created equal. He came from a household of 8 kids living in a tiny house being raised by a grandma on an Eastern State Hospital Aide salary. They were not making ends meet to say the least. He could by that point cook his own meals, in fact, my mom and stepdad were startled when they came down the first morning and he had already made bacon, eggs, and toast for everyone, because that was his routine.

Luckily he made pretty good friends. I always call him the mayor of Williamsburg when we are out with him because he knows everybody and they know him. He is the type of guy who has never met a stranger.

So yeah it's a full time commitment but if you whiff on a chance to make someone's life different, I mean, you can't go back in time. Like the ads say, you don't have to be a perfect parent, just a parent.