Meet the Rhodes family: Katie, her husband, and their children. The Rhodes have been married for ten years and have been fostering for about seven years. Up until recently, they were a traditional foster home and have had six long-term placements.
Their oldest is almost eight– he came to them when he was just one year old. Their children also include his biological half sister, who is six years old. Katie and her husband got a surprise call from the hospital when she was born, and immediately took her in. Their youngest child is four years old, and from a different biological family than the other two kids. She has been with them since she was a month old, and her adoption was finalized last year. Along with their three permanent kids, the Rhodes are also currently fostering a 14-year-old boy. They’ve been doing emergency shelter care for teenagers for a few months now, and he’s been with them for three of those months. He’ll likely transition to a more permanent placement soon.
Katie has always been curious about adoption. She is a genetic counselor, and during grad school did her thesis on adoption. Specifically, she researched the kind of medical information adopted individuals have access to for their own health history.
When Katie and her husband got married, their plan was to have one biological child and then adopt another. But after struggling with infertility for a while, they decided to start fostering.
The Rhodes have fostered both babies and teenagers, and for them, each age brings a totally unique experience. “Babies are so much fun—sweet, cute, and cuddly—but they’re also a lot of work. That said, I really enjoy fostering teens. You can have meaningful conversations with them and get to know them on a deeper level. It’s rewarding to know you’re making an impact during the time they’re with you.
Fostering older kids is definitely a different kind of challenge. It can be tougher emotionally because their issues are more complex and their stories more developed. We’re often dealing with things like school struggles, peer influences, and more serious life challenges. It’s hard, and sometimes sad, but also incredibly rewarding.”
For now, Katie and her husband’s plan is to focus on emergency shelter care. These are short-term placements, usually around three weeks, for kids who need a place to stay during the search for a more permanent home. This way, the kids don’t have to go to an actual shelter. During those three weeks, the goal is to find them a new placement.
They plan to continue doing this for as long as they can. With only three bedrooms in their home, they know they’ll eventually need to make changes, especially as their son gets older and wants his own space away from his sisters. But for now, they’re committed to helping through emergency care. Katie says, “We started fostering to support kids in need, and after adopting three children pretty quickly, we want to focus on continuing to help more children in this way for a while.”
We asked Katie what advice she would give potential foster and adoptive parents. Her response: “I’d say it might sound like terrible advice, but just go for it! We’ve said yes to fostering with very little information about the kids or how things would work, and while it can be daunting, we’ve never regretted our decision. The reality of meeting the kids is often very different from what you see on paper. So, if you’re unsure, I encourage you to give it a try!”
Katie also shared about her experience and her thoughts on fostering teenagers:
“Of course, you want to pay attention to what the social workers are telling you on paper, but it’s important to remember that those documents only capture a small part of each child’s story. Fostering teens can be incredibly rewarding. They bring a lot of fun to your life—you don’t have to change diapers, and you can engage in meaningful conversations with them. You can relate to each other and share your own experiences in ways that aren’t possible with younger kids.
I believe it’s better to be involved. Just remember, at the end of the day, they’re kids who need support. I often picture my own son as a teenager and remind myself that these kids are just like him—they need love and care, too.”
Thank you, Katie, for allowing us to share just a fraction of your family’s amazing foster journey. Families like the Rhodes show the power of opening your heart and home to youth in need, and more children can find the compassion and support they deserve.
Kaitlin Earnest, Contributor