I also loved your responses, but I think they're still wide of the mark and relatively typical from a zealous parent - which is awesome! - with no hands-on expe

I also loved your responses, but I think they're still wide of the mark and relatively typical from a zealous parent - which is awesome! - with no hands-on experience of actual foster care. The circumstances under which we foster children varies dramatically. In some cases the children have almost-daily communication with their birth parents. Our home, and our embrace, is simply a vessel for them whilst their real home gets back on its feet. There's no animosity or judgement. The kids just need removing from a toxic environment for a length of time, usually under 6 months, so their parents - not them - can rehabilitate, back to the standard required by the local authority. To say "That's the way parenting works" is kind of unfair, because in the example I gave we are not these children's parents and we're not a replacement for them. In fact, the term 'foster parent' is rarely used anymore. A better example would be if my child had a friend over for dinner. I will treat that child with respect and warmth, and whilst they are in my home their safety and well-being are my responsibilities. My child is very 'web savvy', but I have no idea what kinds of influence another child can have, so I need to be cautious. In our reality, not being cautious could lose us a placement; or worse, my wife's career. So yeah, maybe pulling the plug is the best idea in certain situations.