Sheila and Paul

“Every child deserves the magic of Christmas” – Sheila’s story

I have always loved Christmas – it’s my ‘thing’!

Paul, my husband, dresses up as Father Christmas and visits friends’ and neighbours’ houses on Christmas Eve. Our daughter Katie, who is now 33, used to dress up as a reindeer and go with Paul. She absolutely loved it.

I became a foster carer for the first time in 2010. Years ago, while I was pregnant with Katie, I watched Home and Away and there was a storyline about a foster family. I always thought it was something I’d love to do but never thought I’d pursue it.

Later, while working as a childminder, a foster carer came to me with a baby who was suffering drug withdrawal. I told Paul that this was something we could do – we decided the house needed an extension, installed more bedrooms, and began fostering. Since then, we’ve fostered around 38 children.

We currently have three boys who we have spent almost three years with us. I can’t see life without them – they’re our family now.

When the boys arrived, they didn’t believe in Father Christmas. They believed they were ‘too naughty for Christmas presents’, which was heart-breaking to hear from a six-year-old. They had never experienced Christmas and didn’t even know what a cracker was.

Paul and I went on a mission to help them believe in Father Christmas. Every minute we had, we watched Christmas films back-to-back. I didn’t realise there were so many! One day, one of the boys said “That’s it. Father Christmas is real!”

By Christmas morning, they believed. They woke up and came running into our bedroom, telling us Father Christmas had left them presents. They were so excited, we couldn’t believe they hadn’t tried to open them! They dragged their stockings upstairs, tipped the presents onto our bed and started opening them.

All three boys said it was their best Christmas ever. In terms of traditions, we do everything. We cook Christmas dinner, crackers included, which wasn’t at all familiar to them. Every room in the house is decorated – even the toilet! We have six Christmas trees in total.

For the first Christmas, we had less decorations up because we were worried it would overwhelm the boys. Christmas is a sensitive time – a lot of children want to be with their family, especially when they have only recently met you. Luckily for us, the boys think of us as part of their family.

In my opinion, Christmas should be magical. If children are living in a safe, loving environment, they can experience that magic.

It’s important for older children, too, because they’re still children. They might be 14 or 15, even 18, but if they’ve never experienced Christmas, they need to. Christmas is Christmas, and it should be magical, no matter how old you are.

Fostering has its challenges – I never would have thought in the first two weeks that we’d be looking after our boys almost three years later – but it’s so rewarding. I’d tell anyone thinking of fostering to enquire and find out more. Being able to give children that special feeling around Christmas time is just amazing. Every child deserves to enjoy the magic of Christmas.