Books are an important part of Emily's life. Ten years ago, at just 25 years old, she started a nonprofit organization that promotes a love of reading in young children. Through community programming like “reading tents” at malls and farmers markets, her organization, Traveling Stories, helps reluctant readers become proficient ones by the fourth grade. Additionally, Emily’s organization has helped build eight children’s libraries in Cambodia, the Philippines, South Sudan, El Salvador, and Nicaragua.
Books have played a key role in Emily’s fostering too. She first became curious about fostering when she was nine years old, and read Louisa May Alcott’s Jo’s Boys. The novel is about a beloved mother figure — Jo March of Little Women — who opened a home for homeless children. “Reading about how that character created a place where kids felt they belonged was transformative for me,” she recalls. “I wanted to help kids realize their dreams and know that they matter.”
Although she always wanted to foster, Emily had a few concerns. First, she is single. Second, running a non-profit organization has some financial risk. And finally, Emily is an introvert, and wondered if she would be able to engage with a child full time. Even with her hesitations, Emily considered her reasons for fostering and decided not only to take the leap, but to foster siblings. “I heard so many stories about how hard it was for siblings to be separated and thought, ‘What is my motivation for doing this?’” The answer was simple. “If I’m trying to provide for children in need, and that’s where the need is, then why not?” Of course, the added benefit that siblings may play together was exciting."
In March, Emily began fostering two sisters she calls “Ru-Ru,” who is a toddler, and “Kiki,” who is just over six years old. Although Angels placements are typically under five years old, an exception was made so the children could remain together. They don’t play together, as Emily had imagined, but that’s all right. “The girls are so charming and outgoing, I am forced to express my emotions more,” she explains. “They are helping me live a more balanced life.”
When the girls arrived, Kiki acted out quite a bit. “There were violent outbursts,” Emily explains. One of her solutions was to read stories to them. The book “Zara’s Big Messy Day (That Turned Out Okay)” proved to be especially helpful with Kiki. In the story, Zara’s mother helped her frustrated daughter regulate her emotions by using deep-breathing exercises. Now, Emily and Kiki have a common language and reference for taking a moment to inhale by “smelling the flowers” and exhale by “blowing out the birthday candles.”
Emily says three adult books have helped her a great deal as well: “The Connected Child” by Dr. Karyn B. Purvis, David R. Cross, and Wendy Lyons Sunshine, and “Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion” by Gregory Boyle. They helped her decide to take on fostering and continually help her make compassionate choices. Emily also enjoyed the novel “The Ones We Choose” by Julie Clark because it shows a single mother in an untraditional setting.
Emily says that fostering has its challenges. The girls had some tough experiences in their young lives which resulted in trauma. It’s been heart wrenching and rewarding to be part of the healing process. And Emily has had to draw some boundaries with the birth family. She says it’s been worth it though. “At the end of it, I think I will look back at some of the discomfort and be grateful for it. This experience has helped me grow in a way no other experience could.”
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