The first time my foster child, Ethan, had a full-on meltdown, I froze like a deer in headlights. At first, I wanted to, but only because I was panicking and didn't know what else to do. Intellectually I knew this was normal behavior for any toddler, and I suspected, extremely normal for any child going through trauma and significant change. I wanted them to know they were safe and to feel every big feeling they had. I wanted them to know that Jason and I weren't going anywhere.

---

Persons: —, Ethan, Vladimir Putin, Buddy, It's, patting, Jason, Mickey Mouse, Mickey, Mary Poppins, I'd, Mark Daugherty, Clinton, didn't Organizations: Service, Business, Yorkers