Stahlke Adoption

Stashing

Before the children came, Jonathan and I took the DCFS training course provided for foster parents. A valuable thing I gained from these classes was an awareness of the terrible behaviors our children might exhibit due to abuse and neglect. Now when we face challenging behavior from our children, I remind myself that it could be much, much worse.

The adoption literature mentions hoarding as a very common behavior among children from orphanages. Personally, I prefer the less negative term "stashing." We have been spared the stashing of food--our DCFS classes described peanut butter and jelly sandwiches left under a mattress for months! In the food category, the worst we've faced is candy wrappers and an occasional chocolate piece in someone's pants pocket.

Clothes are another matter, however. In the orphanage, our children did not have clothes of their own. Every week, clothes were distributed first-come, first-served. Now our kids have an abundance of clothing, thanks to the many generous parents who donate used clothes to us. But some of our children hide this clothing--just in case. Last night I pulled twenty items out from under one of the children's beds, after being told (twice!) that everything was folded and put away!

About six months ago, while cleaning the living room, I lifted up an armchair to vacuum underneath it. The bottom was sagging, so I took a closer look. There was a hole in the netting that stretches underneath the chair, and when I reached my hand inside, guess what I found?
Numerous toys, which is understandable, but a hammer?

posted by Stahlkes @ 10:13 AM