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: 12

"Hi! My name is Patrick. I like to play basketball, ride my bike, play video games. I've waited a long time for a family of my own. My brother and two sisters were adopted and I get to visit them a lot. I want a family that will help me visit them. We all went on a vacation together and I met my great grandmother for the first time."

I like animals and can take good care of them. I would like to have a gecko or a puppy. I'd like a mom like my mentor, Nicole. She listens to me and gives me good advice and we do lots of fun things together. We could practice soccer and shoot basketball hoops and go on bike rides and vacations together."

Described as "very generous and fun," Patrick may seem much younger than his age, but he has some practical wisdom. He knows he would do well in a traditional home with a mom, dad and older brothers or sisters to show him the way with his peers. He also gets along well with kids who are much younger than himself.

Patrick's parents need to have excellent parenting skills, patience, and previous experience that would help them understand special needs related to a multitude of traumas and family disappointments. He deserves stability in his life and a family that will commit to him as he transitions into their family.

Patrick has thrived in a foster home with strong boundaries, a very structured environment and consistency in consequences. Clarity of communication helps Patrick understand rules and find comfort in reliable routines. Organized sports and community activities such as Scouting, camping, and YMCA programs are ways he can continue to build confidence. He will also benefit from an Individual Educational Plan (IEP), counseling, Psycho-Social Rehabilitation (PSR), and medication management.

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

Because Patrick is so bonded with his siblings, his caseworker will be looking for a family that lives in Idaho's greater Treasure Valley--one that will support sibling visits and maybe even a few vacations. Patrick's generous nature and humor are treasures that his entire family will enjoy as they watch him grow into a confident young man.

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. You may be asked to provide this reference number: 30302.

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