Takia Daniels lives in Georgetown, South Carolina, and is a mom to her 7-year-old foster child. She is a certified community health worker at Tidelands Health and a Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) practitioner.
Takia has been a therapeutic foster parent in South Carolina for over five years. Therapeutic foster care differs from traditional foster care because it serves children and youth with complex challenges who require more resources and support.
Takia recently spoke with Kenzie Russeau, Children’s Trust communications and social media associate, to share her parenting journey and why she chose to become a foster mom.
What does being a therapeutic foster parent mean to you?
It means I am able to provide a safe home with structure for a child that has been displaced from their biological family. To take care of them to the best of my ability and fight for things that they need, such as therapy, stability and different resources.
Why did you decide to become a foster parent in South Carolina?
I decided to become a foster parent because growing up, I was a rebellious teen. During my teen years, I had to go live with my biological father and his fiancé, who at the time was a foster parent. So, I got to see different children come into the home who had been displaced from their biological families. I heard their stories and watched their journeys. I saw how she took care of them and nurtured them until they were able to reunify with their biological families, and that was something I always wanted to do: provide for foster children and support them.
What have you learned about yourself from being a parent?
I learned to give myself grace and to know that sometimes I will make mistakes as well. To be a voice for not only my child, but any child that comes into foster care because their voices are oftentimes not heard. My job is to listen to what they need, what they want and to fight for them.
While families and the parenting journey look different for everyone, children have common needs and challenges throughout their development and lives. SC Parents is here to help you and your family through those challenges and offer support to show that you are not alone.
If you’re looking for support and strategies to help you build strong, healthy relationships, confidently manage your child’s behavior and promote positive child development, we recommend looking into Triple P (Positive Parenting Program). Who knows, you might even meet Takia face-to-face!
