Five Questions for Foster Parents Cindy and Rob Lopez

*Parents of U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Star Stephanie (Lopez) Cox *

Why did you become foster parents?
We had a calling to do this work because of our religious faith and love for children. As a couple, we always wanted to have a large family. We were blessed to have Stephanie and her older brother Jeremiah, but we knew we could share our love with other children, too.  Foster parenting was a natural choice for us.

How long have you been involved with foster parenting? What types of children have you helped?

We have cared for nearly 100 children of all ages, races and nationalities over the past 16 years. As our own kids Jeremiah and Stephanie entered junior high, we decided to have more children. We continued to foster, but decided the time was right to adopt. We began taking in infants as licensed emergency care providers and were so happy to adopt Justin and Daniel, our two youngest sons.

Do you have a particular philosophy about parenting?  What values did you impart on Stephanie and your other children as they were growing up?

We raised all of our children to value family, embrace teamwork, serve others and embody integrity as the recipe for a blessed, productive life. As parents, we were mindful to support and acknowledge the efforts and accomplishments of all the children.

We worked very hard to maintain a balance and raised our kids to be humble and to be sensitive to the needs of others. Even as Stephanie’s soccer ability started to attract lots of attention, she was expected to do family chores, do her homework and maintain her grades – the same things as the other kids. Stephanie, and all of our children, learned early on about sacrifices. She shared her parents with so many other children. I think this foundation gave Stephanie a healthy perspective that she certainly draws on now as part of a team preparing for the Olympics.

Based on your experiences what would like you to share with other people who might be considering taking on this important role?

There are so many kids waiting to be part of a loving family. Too many children -- especially older youth -- will leave foster care without a caring adult to rely on.  We are sharing our story in the hopes that it will inspire more people to get involved in any way they can. It’s about finding the right fit for your family. For us, it was being foster and adoptive parents.  For others, it might be being a mentor, providing respite care, or helping in some other way.

Where can people get more information about helping youth in foster care? 

May is National Foster Care Month. Maybe you have been thinking about offering your help for a while…now is the time!  Even if you only have a few minutes or a few hours to give, there is something you can do.