Editor's Note: Window on the Clearwater recently 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/.

Matthew

Age: 16

Hi, my name is Matthew. My friends call me Matt. I love outdoor things like rock climbing, swimming and cliff diving. Someday I would like to learn to base jump.

I'm not much into sports. My interests are more in theatre and art. I like to listen to soft rock and country music, as well as Christian music. I like going to church with my family and doing things with my youth group.

I would like to have a mom and a dad in my life. I'm sixteen and a half years old now, so that's just one and a half or two years until I might be out on my own. I know I haven't learned the things I need to know to be independent. For instance, I could use a mom's advice when it comes to understanding women.

I need adoptive parents or guardians who will sit down and listen to my questions without judging me. I need good advice and explanations about how to have successful relationships. I also need to make my own decisions and learn from the ones that worked, as well as the ones that didn't.

I plan on going to vocational school or college. I know that could be difficult without the support of a family."

Matt has a solid support system in his current foster family. They hope to maintain that connection throughout his transition into a permanent family. They say Matt has slowly lost his hard shell and is now a young man with a "tender heart." He is not afraid to trust or show his sensitive side. Matt's foster parents also say he is open to advice when mutual respect, firm boundaries and praise coexist within an atmosphere of patience and positive regard.

Matt wants to learn a career that's right for him. He states that he wants to be a good father and husband, but he also wants to be able to support his family well before he takes on either of those roles. In the meantime, if he could live in a family with older siblings or someone his own age, he might find the mentoring support he's come to rely on. For the right family, Matt will reward you with his sensitivity and desire to have someone to look up to.

Matthew is available for adoption through the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. To find out more about adoption, call the Idaho CareLine at 1-800-926-2588 or within Idaho at 2-1-1. You may be asked to provide this reference number: 30215.

Portraits by Moffett Photography

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