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Editor's Note: Window on the Clearwater has joined the Wednesday's Child network to help spread the word about children that are waiting for families to give them the loving care that they need. Each Wednesday we will profile a different child. For more information about Wednesday's Child and how you can be involved check the web site at: http://www.idahowednesdayschild.org/.

Patrick

Age: 11

"Hi! My name is Patrick. The things I think you should know about me are that I like to play basketball, ride my bike and scooter, play video games, and that I really want a mom and dad to take care of me and keep me safe. I sometimes get angry that I don't have a family to love me and take care of me. When I get angry I can yell and act out, but I am working on controlling my emotions and think I have made a lot of progress."

I like animals and can take good care of them. I am excited that I'm going to be living in a place that has horses and cows. I really want to take care of a baby calf. I am sad that this place doesn't have a mom and a dad though, but I know I will get one soon. While I wait I am going to work really hard to have good behaviors and do well in school."

I need a family who will help me stay in touch with my older brother and two sisters who live here [SW Idaho]. I see them almost every weekend. I want a mom and a dad who want to adopt me and will never get rid of me. I would also like it if they would play with my toys with me and watch movies with me. I would love it if my new mom and dad would read to me."

Because Patrick has seen more hard times than any child should experience, he needs a traditional home with two parents who have excellent parenting skills, lots of patience, and previous experience parenting a special needs child. Patrick has been through a multitude of traumas, including multiple moves. He desperately needs stability in his life, and a family that will commit to him and stick with him through a certain difficult transition. He deserves parents who are inherently wise and emotionally secure. Patrick has thrived in a foster home with strong boundaries, a very structured environment, and consistency in creative disciplinary techniques. Clarity of communication has helped Patrick understand rules and find comfort in reliable routines. Patrick is now ready for wider opportunities to experience his world. Organized sports and community activities such as Scouting, camping, and YMCA programs are ways he can continue to build confidence and learn how to manage emotional outbursts.

Patrick could be the only child in a family. He would also do well with teen siblings who are not competitive about a parent's attention. This boy could learn social skills from older family members who are positive mentors and role models.

An adoption committee will be looking for parents who understand Patrick's background and believe in his resilience. It will take a dad and mom working as a team to ensure educational and emotional progress continues. This will be accomplished through Individual Educational Plans (IEP), counseling, Psycho-Social Rehabilitation (PSR), and medication management.

Patrick wants frequent visits and contact with siblings living in Boise, Idaho. The children look forward to sleepovers, shared vacations or other opportunities to remain in close contact.

Portrait by Matt Green from Barb Bergeson Studio Gallery

To find out more about Patrick, adoption or becoming a foster parent, email the Idaho CareLine or call 1-800-926-2588. In Idaho you can dial 2-1-1. You may be asked to provide this reference number: 30302.

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Window on the Clearwater
P.O. Box 2444
Orofino, ID 83544

Telephone:
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Lewiston 208-503-7107
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