Learning through the everyday experiences of biological / foster parenting

Abstract

Learning througheveryday experiencesis understood as a complex process during which the learner undergoesvarious social interactions; it is an emotional, cognitive and behaviouralprocess of learning.The aim of the study wasto describe the process of learning ofparents and foster parents throughthe everydayexperiencesof biological/foster parenting by revealing the similarities and differences oftheir experiences. The article presents the findings of thequalitative research. Applying the narrative interview, 4 parents and 8 foster parents were interviewed in the study. The data were analysed by usingan inductive qualitative content analysis method. The findings revealed that the personal change of parents and fosterparents andtheir growth in parenthoodtakesplacein the process of learning from everydayexperiences. The birthof a child into a family as well as the acceptance of a non-relative child into a foster family pose anumber of challenges and causeconfusion, but it is theexperience of giving, joy and communitytoo. The most striking difference betweenbiological andfoster parenting is revealedthroughthe experience of‘emotional triangle’which is the only characteristic of foster parents. Communication with the foster child’s biological family is one of the most complex aspects of foster parenting.