Shannon has five children (3 bio and 2 foster) and lives in Oberlin.

What do you do to relax?

Play games on my phone, play with my children, watch TV, burn incense/candles or sit outside/go to the park.

What else would you like to tell us about yourself?

I have been a foster home for over 5 years and I am currently enrolled at LCCC.

What benefits has Connecting for Kids brought to you and your family?

I have been able to find programs with information that meets my growing family’s needs.

Which have been your favorite Connecting for Kids resources?

The Grab ‘n Go information packets available at the Resource Fairs.

My greatest lesson learned was...

Patience, patience and more patience. Also, be careful whom you trust.

The bad habit I picked up...

During the pandemic, I also had another child of my own. I now struggle with maintaining a true routine within my own home of everyone going to bed on time, having things done by a certain time, etc. The sense of urgency is no longer a thing here since for months we didn’t have to worry about having any timeframe or places to go. As of now, we’re getting much better!

When my child's behavior gets out of control, I feel...

Overstimulated. What I remind myself is their behavior is not a personal reflection of my parenting. I need to take a step back to gather my thoughts and then approach the child differently to try to help them through their difficult or often heavy emotions. Reassuring them that their feelings are validated but let’s communicate them more openly.