Foster parent specializes in being “bonus mom” to teens
By Libby Smith
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COLORADO (KCNC) — It’s tough to be a teen in the foster care system. For many of them adoption is no longer an option, and they face aging out of the system without any support. A 2023 study of Colorado youth who age out of foster care with no support will end up costing the state an average of $343,000 per person over their lifetime. The costs stem from higher rates of homelessness, incarceration, and unemployment. Raise the Future works hard to find one caring adult to stand by those teens as they transition into adulthood. Heather Piper is one of those caring adults. She’s a foster parent who specializes in being a “bonus mom” to all who need her.
“It has absolutely been my jam. So I only take teenagers now. 15 is probably on the youngest end that I take, all the way up to 21,” Piper explained.
She said that she loves teenagers because they’re doing all the things she likes to do, like learning to drive, working on graduating, putting a house together, and applying to colleges.
“It’s important because sometimes their parents aren’t able to be there for them in the way that young adults need them,” Piper said.
Piper has been a foster parent for 10 years with about 100 young people coming through her home. Many of them come back or continue to call her for support.
“My two goals for any child when they are here is for them to feel safe and loved. If I have done that…I’m winning,” she said.
“She’s just an extra parent, an extra role model, an extra person I can count on to be there with me,” said Gabrielle.
Gabrielle is 21-years-old now. She’s lived in and out of Piper’s home for many years, and still turns to her for love and support.
“I think that not a lot of teens realize there are options out there. Some things that I was told was, ‘You’ll never make it.’ ‘You’ll never be something.’ ‘You’ll end up on the same level as your parents.’ and to prove those people wrong. I did make it to college. I did graduate high school,” Gabrielle explained.
Emberleigh is 18-years-old. She also lived with Piper while she was in foster care. She’s currently back living with her biological mother, but still relies heavily on Piper.
“I’d call her if I was stuck somewhere or if I needed help. I would call her in any situation I needed her,” Emberleigh said. “I definitely feel like going into being an adult, I am fully prepared to do so because of everything she’s taught me. And I know if I don’t get it right away, she’s right there to help me.”
Emberleigh credits her time in Piper’s home as being the inspiration for change in her life.
“I was very naughty,” she said with a laugh.
She explained that she would protect herself with big behaviors that often got her moved from foster home to foster home.
“They understood that I was coming from a hard place. They didn’t judge who I was as a person, and I think that just changed me and helped me want to change who I was for the better,” Emberleigh recalled.
“For a lot of my teenagers, they have parents. I’m not trying to replace anybody. I don’t need to be anybody’s mom. I’m okay being an extra mom. I’m okay being the weird aunt. I’m okay being a bonus…whatever they allow me to be,” Piper added.
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