Children should never have to suffer, but the reality is that many children do. Many children endure a life that others can only fathom through nightmares. If those children are lucky they may end up in the foster care system, but that doesn’t mean that their nightmare ends. Not all foster homes are loving or supportive. There is a need for loving families to become foster parents.
Justin and Alexis were two of those children living through a nightmare. As a parent it was a struggle to read the pain that they had to endure at the hands of those who were supposed to protect and love them. It makes me want to hold onto my children even tighten.
Though they were both in the foster care system they had significantly different reasons for entering. Throughout the book they each share what caused them to enter the system and their experiences within the system. It is interesting to see how different their lives were but in the end found love with each other.
Each section has an ‘Alexis’ and a ‘Justin’ portion where the reader learns more about each of their pasts and understand how they are similar. Culminating in the ending section that is written together.
Trauma in the past does not need to define who we are in the present. For anyone who is struggling with their past this is an excellent book to read. Even if you were not in the foster care system this book has something to offer. If you have ever thought about fostering a child but unsure due to their past trauma this is a must read. Just because these children had traumatic experiences does not mean that they are not worthy of love and respect.
Given the chance most children will shine through. If you don’t put a plant in sunshine it will wilt and die but if you give it what it needs it will flourish and bloom.
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