Foster children qualify for WIC, which is especially helpful for infants on formula. Your own WIC experience may vary, but here's what I learned today at an appointment for Caterpillar: foster families are a "household." So, even though we qualify specifically on behalf of the child, not our income, the WIC accounts are considered by households. What this means is that I shouldn't have cut up and thrown out my old card from when I had Pterodactyl, because it can be reloaded with benefits for a different child. Instead, they wrote down that I lost the card and I look irresponsible. (Okay, I lose a lot of cards, but I didn't lose that one!) It also means that it's relevant to say that you have had other foster children on WIC in the past when you call about benefits for subsequent foster kids. I could have saved some time, as they scheduled me for an appointment designed for foster parents new to WIC. When they realized this, they cut it short.
Also, they stick very closely to age for the check-ups or whatever you call them, so I have to go back again with Caterpillar even though he was within a couple weeks of the next age milestone. Had I known that, I probably would have just waited until that appointment to come in at all.
On the bright side, our WIC office is pretty awesome, with toys not just in the waiting room but in the exam rooms. Rhinoceros thinks it's a fun place to go, and they are pretty helpful and quick.
Also, as a follow-up to Lesson Learned: Pacifier: Caterpillar's mom said she got it from a Pregnancy Resource Center, so she has no idea what brand it is. Thankfully, he is accepting the Avent Classic ones that are pretty similar. Thanks, Karen!
No comments:
Post a Comment