John and Kirstin Nickel decided to become foster parents after learning of a brother and sister who needed a home.
Kirsten, at the time, was a special education teacher and John, an attorney, was on board. They went through the classes and by the time they finished training with Spaulding for Children, that boy and girl had already found a home. But the Nickels – who had four children already – decided to stay in the game. And a short time later, they received a foster placement, another boy and girl.
“That was our first experience,” John Nickel said. “It was 10 years ago.”
The Nickels adopted those children, after reunification did not occur and then they took another placement, a little girl. They adopted her as well and then fostered another child – adopting him too. They also are current foster parents to another little boy, but the Nickels hope he can eventually be reunited with his mother – although they love him deeply.
“Once they are in our home, we treat them the same,” he said. “We love them all equally. It’s been a long journey, and we are getting older but every time we think about stopping, we talk ourselves out of it. We have room in our home and our heart and there are so many kids in need.
“It’s unusual, I will admit.”
John grew up an only child but said he loves his large family. And he loves that his 8 children will always have each other, and that support system in place should they ever need it.
“They will always have someone they can count on,” he said.
John and Kirstin believe that every child deserves a safe and happy home and serving as foster parents is their way of “being the change” they wish to see in the world. They hate to turn down placements, but sometimes it’s necessary due to their current family demands.
Both went into being foster parents believing their foster children would be reunited with their birth family, but it hasn’t always been the case, so if the parental rights of their foster children are terminated, John said they will adopt that child – to minimize the trauma and because they are already deeply attached.
And with Father’s Day approaching, John said he hopes to spend the day at Greenfield Village with his family, looking at classic cars.
He hopes that one day his children will find something that they love as much as he loves fatherhood – making small but impactful changes in the world.
“This is our path, and we are good at it,” he said. “We are good at parenting. This is how we want to spend our years. We know it’s not for everyone though. But for us, to watch the growth that we get to see, that’s why we keep doing it. Every kid should have the opportunity to live up to their full potential. To be their best self. If we’ve done that, we’ve done our job.”
