Foster Child Syndrome

A while back, I diagnosed Dee with FCS (Foster Care Syndrome).  Although it's not in the medical books yet, it should be.  Many parents of children who were in foster care will recognize it.  It's a "disease" with symptoms of  thinkimg you should be pitied and treated special because you are/were in foster care.  The cure, I believe for FCS, is adoption.  I  have had a hard time convincing Dee that she is now cured. 

She is in special education classes part of the day at school.  She likes to use that to her advantage.  She claims she can't do things, she doesn't understand.  And mostly, she just doesn't try.  She knows how to make it look like she is trying, but she doesn't try.

Yesterday, I saw her in her tumbling class do the exact same thing.  She didn't try half of the things the other kids were doing.  Even things the six year olds were doing.  She just excused herself as not being able to do them.  I told her when parent observation day comes around in October, she had better be doing what the other kids are doing.  If I were her, I wouldn't wait until then to start trying.  No wonder she has no self-esteem!  She quits before she starts!