Page 71 - 2017-12-16_june_july_2009.qxd
P. 71

Help A Child In Foster This Christmas                                                                                    71





             How to Help a Child in

                   Foster Care this

                        Christmas



                   By. Dr. John DeGarmo


          The holiday season; a time for joy, a time for
          happiness.  Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years,
          Kwanzaa; a time of giving and of family.  It is a
          time of wonder and excitement for  millions of
          children across the nation, and across the globe.
          It is a time when memories are made, and love is
          shared.
                 Yet, for so many children in the foster
          care system, it is anything but a time of joy, a
          time of excitement.  Indeed, it is just the
          opposite.   ‘Tis the season?  Not for the roughly
          half a million children in foster care in the
          United States.   It is often a time of great sadness
          and despair.  For these children, it is a reminder
                                                         other times of the year. This might also include
          of so much anxiety and trauma in their young                                                           Disclosure Radio/TV Network
                                                         helping out school supplies at the beginning of
          lives.  Many foster children are faced with the                                                            Dream Maker Media
                                                         the school year, birthdays, paying for school
          realization that they will not be “home for the                                                           Euro Radio/TV Network
                                                         field trips and summer camps, and other
          holidays,” so to speak, with their biological                                                              Hamilton TV Network
                                                         activities that are special to the child.  Indeed,
          family members.   It is a reminder that they are                                                        Haunted Kitchens TV Show
                                                         many foster parents simply cannot afford to
          separated from their parents and family.       provide all of the opportunities to their foster      He Says She Says Radio/TV Show
                 Do you remember waking up as a child    child; opportunities that help the child escape               Investigations 36;
          on Christmas morning?   If you were like me,                                                             IPBN Radio/TV Network
                                                         from their trauma, and opportunities to heal
          you couldn’t wait to get your parents up, and                                                              IPBN Music Network
                                                         from their suffering.    When we all come
          dash into the room where your Christmas tree                                                              Magical Mystical Tours
                                                         together to help the child in foster care in such a
          was.   Wrapping paper flying, screams of joy and                                                    Mutual Broadcast Network, Canada
                                                         way, we are all helping to not only bring some
          surprise, great food, family surrounding you; it                                                 Mutual Broadcast Network, International
                                                         holiday cheer to a child in need, we are changing
          was truly a magical day.                                                                                News Zine Communications
                                                         the life of a child.
                 For children in foster care, though, it is a                                                       News Zine Publications
                                                                 After all, isn’t that what this time of year
          very different experience.  When they wake up  is all about?                                             Open Mic Radio Network
          Christmas morning, and are surrounded by                                                                     Paranormal Blues
          people who just may be strangers to them,                                                               Paranormal Court TV Show
                                                         ABOUT DR. JOHN DeGARMO: Dr. John
          strangers who are laughing and having fun, it                                                              Parapsychology Today
                                                         DeGarmo has been a foster parent for 14 years,
          can be a very difficult time for them, indeed.  To                                                        Para Science Radio/TV
                                                         now, and he and his wife have had over 50
          be sure, it is a day that is a stark reminder to                                                                RAM Media
                                                         children come through their home. He is the
          these children that they are not with their own                                                            REL-MAR Publishing
                                                         director of  The Foster Care Institute, a
          family.  It is during the holidays when families                                                              RNN Radio/TV
                                                         consultant to legal firms and foster care
          are supposed to be together, yet these children in                                                   Sirius Digital Broadcast Network
                                                         agencies, as well as a speaker and trainer on
          care are not.  They are not with their families,  many topics about the foster care system Dr.            TalkStar Radio Network
          and they may not know when they will see them  DeGarmo and his wife were recently named a              The Cup & Saucer Magazine
          next.                                                                                                      The Galactic Museum
                                                         Good Morning America Ultimate Hero. He is
                 More than likely, a  foster child will have                                                     The ‘X’ Chronicles Newspaper
                                                         the author of several foster care books, including
          feelings of sadness and grief, as he is separated                                                           The ‘X’ Zone Store
                                                         the The Foster Parenting Manual, and writes for
          from his own family during this time of family                                                          The Ultimate Media Guide
                                                         several publications, including Foster Focus
          celebration.   After all, he is separated from his                                                  Too Politically Correct Radio Show
                                                         magazine.     He    can   be    contacted   at
          family during a time that is supposed to be                                                              WIFI Broadcast Network
                                                         drjohndegarmo@gmail, through his Facebook
          centered AROUND family.  Quite simply, they                                                              WIKI Broadcast Network
                                                         page, Dr. John DeGarmo, or at The Foster Care
          want to go home, to live with their family     Institute.                                                     WIKI Hamilton
          members, despite the abuse and trauma they                                                                WIKI Publishing House
          may have suffered from them, and despite all       MERRY CHRISTMAS                                              WTP Media
          that you can and do offer and provide for him.                                                              XZBN Channel 365
          Therefore, this time of holiday joy is especially                 AND                                      XZBN Music Channel
          difficult.                                                                                                 XZBN News Channel
                 You can help these children.  You can        HAPPY NEW YEAR                                             XZBN Travel
          help a child in foster care have a truly Merry                                                                XZBN Network
          Christmas; perhaps their very first Merry                                                                  The ‘X’ Zone Channel
                                                           From All the Staff at -
          Christmas.                                                                                            ‘X’ Zone Mystical Destinations
                 Sadly, far too many children in foster     REL-MAR McConnell Media Company                             ‘X’ ZONE News
          care have never had gifts to open on December                                                              ‘X’ Zone TV Channel
                                                                   Angel Broadcast Network
          25th.   My wife and I try to make it a day that the
                                                                      The Author Network
          children both never forget, and one that they are                                                 REL-MAR McConnell Media Company
                                                             Beyond A Reasonable Doubt TV Show
          able to escape their pain and suffering and                                                                  Hamilton, Ontario
                                                                 Canadian Broadcast Network
          simply revel in being a child.  Our “foster                                                                       Canada
                                                                    Canadian News Network
          grandparents” help us accomplish this.  Like our                                                             www.rel-mar.com
                                                                   Canadian Media Services
          dear friends have done, you, too, can reach out          Digital Broadcast Network                          admin@rel-mar.com
          to the foster parents in your community and               Digital Satellite Network                            (905 575-1222
          “adopt” a child during the holiday season, or                                                                  (800) 610-7035
   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76