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It’s Okay to Pause: When You Need to Step Back from Fostering

It’s Okay to Pause: When You Need to Step Back from Fostering

Update: 2025-11-04
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If you’ve ever found yourself whispering “I just can’t do this right now” — and then immediately feeling guilt for even thinking it — this episode is for you.

As foster moms, we learn early on how to stretch our hearts beyond what feels possible. We say yes when others might say no. We hold space for heartbreak, navigate uncertainty, and pour love into children who may not stay forever. But what happens when the calling that once brought life to your soul starts to feel heavier than you can carry?

Here’s the truth I want you to take in fully: needing to pause is not the same as giving up.

Taking a step back — whether temporarily or indefinitely — doesn’t erase your impact, your worth, or your love for the children and families you’ve served. It simply means you’re human. And humans have seasons.

Find all my resources here

Learn more about Foster to Founder

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It’s Okay to Pause: When You Need to Step Back from Fostering

It’s Okay to Pause: When You Need to Step Back from Fostering

Cathleen Bearse