First, here’s my poetry I’ve written recently and some that I have liked as well. You have to click it to view. Please do so!
I don’t honestly have something planned with this post or what the structure will look like. I’m just writing freely from my mind.
I recently experienced the after effects of some semi-passive aggressive interactions with a foster parent. Just as a reminder, I drive foster kids to and from their parent visits, So I do interact with the foster parents sometimes to coordinate for when I need to pick up the kids or if the places change. The interactions aren’t even that long. I’m just doing my job and try to be quick about getting the kids in and out of the car. Sometimes I do need help getting the kids out if there’s 3 or more kids.
Till this one lady, all my interactions have been pleasant. There’s a lot of parents who are foster parents for the right reasons, I can see the love for these children evident in their actions and how they look at these kids. But there are quite a few who are doing it for the wrong reasons. From my understanding, foster parents are being paid to do what they do, but the money is supposed to go towards taking care of the kids they take in. I feel like it’s not a shocker that some people do it just for the money and try to squeeze as much out for themselves as they can (this is just speculation).
It can be maddening to see these few, do it for the wrong reasons and know that in the end the kids will be the ones affected. These kids need to be especially protected and given a stable environment to live in.
I’m trying to be careful to not say the specifics of what recently happened. To put it as simple as possible, I thought I was cool with this one foster parent, but apparently we weren’t. I got blindsided, I’m not angry, but just a little hurt that someone could be one way to my face and then a 360 behind my back and try to get me in trouble.
I try my very best with these kids and I really do enjoy them. Of course, there are the tough days, when the kids are raising hell, but they’ve been through a lot of trauma, so I can deal with what they throw at me (sometimes literally throwing stuff) because I know I am doing good work here.
I also have built a good rapport with the caseworkers, CASA workers, and the observers. They all know that I am a person of integrity and they have seen the work that I have put into this job.
Due to some other factors I may not have to work with this foster parent again. I wouldn’t see her this week anyways because I’ll be leaving on a trip soon, so I’ll miss the day where I transport those kids. But let’s say I would see that lady next week, I’m sure there’s some question as how I would act when I would see her, right?
Well, I would get my poker face on and not reveal anything to her. Her intent may have been to try to get me in trouble, but I have people who have my back. I wouldn’t show that anything has changed in a negative way. Also, I would be just as polite as previously. It’s not my job to make small talk with her, so straight to the point. Pick up kids, take them to the visit, get them from the visit and take them back home or to wherever and do so safely. That’s my job.
I can’t control other people. I can just control how I respond in these situations.
I can’t foresee how this situation will turn out, but I have faith that everything will be okay.
Please leave a comment or some feedback: How have you dealt when put in difficult positions at work? With difficult people? What are some resources that could help me? Also, from the poems from the link at the top, which was your favorite?!