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/.

Kallen

Ages: 11

"Hi, I'm Kallen. I like riding my bike, snow-boarding and fishing. I like playing outside better than even TV or playing on the computer. I'd like my family to have fair rules and to be nice. It doesn't really matter to me if they have kids or not...but brothers and sisters would be O.K. I just want a family who wants to spend time with me."

Kallen enjoys spending time with all types of animals. He would excel in a family who likes to go fishing, hunting and camping. Because Kallen is in the foster care system, he is not allowed to participate in hunting activities. He longs for a family who will adopt him and teach him the skills to become an avid outdoorsman.

Loving, clever, humorous and creative is how Kallen's social worker describes him. Kallen needs a family who is not afraid to show physical affection for each other. His sense of humor and matter-of-fact attitude has helped him to persevere through many moves while in foster care and through the losses in his life.

Kallen needs patient parents who will focus on him, keeping him busy with activities that boost self-esteem. Parent(s) who provide strong boundaries, clear rules and structure will be rewarded by a smoother transition into their home. Kallen's forever family will need to be patient, understanding and able to appreciate him for who he is.

Kallen deals with emotional challenges by keeping his pain inside until it bubbles to the top. His emotional outburst are usually the result of frustration, being tired, misunderstanding or feeling that he has been treated unjustly. He has difficulty transitioning between activities and becomes upset if situations change too fast. He needs a family that will warn him of upcoming changes and give him the time he needs to make adjustments. He also has a difficult time waiting for events or gifts. Kallen will be successful with parents who tap into community resources, including medication management and counseling. Familiarity with how abuse and neglect affect the behavior of children will be paramount to family success.

Kallen needs a family to help him transition into adolescence and to teach him how to be a well-adjusted, happy and successful young man. Allowing contact between Kallen and his older brother is important. The boys are very bonded, though they need separate homes. Do you have room in your heart and your home for this special child? Kallen has so much to offer the right family!

Portraits by Cazier Photography

To find out more about Kallen, call the Idaho CareLine number, 1-800-926-2588. In Idaho you can dial 2-1-1. You may be asked to provide this reference number: 30204.

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