Parenting children who have been in foster care--especially older kids--is often extremely challenging. Extensive trauma or disabilities bring even greater struggle. Disillusionment, grief, frustration, and fatigue are common. Only other adoptive parents fully understand what we go through. I wrote The Promise to document and express my own experience. It's essential that adoptive families band together in support. Validation and inspiration is vital for parents to keep meeting the needs of their children and in order to heal as a family. This is a key component to preventing our wounded children from being sent back to foster care.