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

Age: 10

"My name is Kallen. I enjoy riding my new bike, snow-boarding everyday after school and fishing. There is nothing better than riding my bike through a big mud puddle! I prefer outdoor activities to television or computer time. I would like my forever family to have fair rules. I want a family who is patient, kind and nurturing. It doesn't really matter to me if they have kids or not...but brothers and sisters would be O.K., too! I just want a family who wants to spend time with me."

Kallen enjoys all types of animals. He likes domestic animals, as well as watching wildlife in his Idaho mountain home. His life goal at this time is to ride a sheep in a rodeo. Kallen 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 teach him the skills to become an avid outdoorsman.

Warm, loving, clever, humorous and creative is how Kallen's social worker describes him. His foster mother describes him as gentle, loving, tender and tough at the same time. 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 parents who will focus on him, keeping him busy with activities that boost self-esteem, guiding gently but firmly. Parent(s) who provide strong boundaries, clear rules and structure will be rewarded by a smoother transition in to their home. Kallen's forever family will need to be patient, understanding, accepting, and accept and appreciate Kallen 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 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 affects the behavior of children will be paramount to the success of this adoptive placement.

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!

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.

Portrait by Cazier Photography

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