Bramlett, now 26, adopted William, 7, on Oct. 12, 2021, after spending more than a year as his foster parent.
Paige Bramlett was William's behavior specialist. William was Bramlett's kindergarten student. Now they are mother and son.
The 26-year-old from Indiana adopted William, 7, on Oct. 12, 2021, after spending more than a year as his foster parent. The pair first met when she worked as his behavioral specialist while he was in kindergarten; she was just 24 and he was 4 at the time. According to Bramlett, the youngster has had a tough life but she plans on filling his life with joy and love.
“He was in foster care and struggled with behaviors from PTSD and trauma. He had been in several homes in four years," she said in a TikTok video, as per The Sun. “One day, he didn’t show up to school, and he had never missed a day. I ran into his caseworker collecting his things in the hallway. She told me they were looking for a forever home for him to be placed in. I introduced myself and asked her what to do to become his forever home. Now, he is adopted, loved, and chosen. My son. We are learning together every day," she said.
Her friends thought she was too young to adopt a child as well as end up being a single parent. But that didn't deter Bramlett. "Me, single at 24-years-old explaining to everyone that I’m going to start fostering one of my students," she captioned a video. In the background, Taylor Swift sang “Oh my god, she’s insane,” and the new mom mouthed the lyrics. She pointed out in one of her TikTok videos that “foster care is so hard” but it is “worth it”. William could be seen skiing, dancing, and rollerskating, in other videos. “Foster care is worth it. Can’t believe all of the memories and so many more to go,” she wrote.
The family of two received a surprise this Christmas. "We are enjoying creating our own traditions in our own little home this year," Bramlett told Good Morning America, as she and her son were surprised with a $10,000 Christmas gift from Five Below. "We love spending time with our family and we are excited to just be with family and create our own traditions this year for sure."
Woman surprised with $10k after adopting 7-year-old boy - ABC News - https://t.co/3F5ChpEkup #GoogleAlerts
— Jeanne T. Tate (@JeanneTTate) December 24, 2021
Their bond took time to develop and while it wasn't easy, it was worth it for the young mother. "It was a challenging time for him, but we became best friends very quickly. I saw a lot of the potential in him. He’s very artistic and creative, and his imagination is insane," added Bramlett. "No one took the time to get to know him or to see him for the child that he was. I would get down on his level and make eye contact, and I don’t know how many people had done that before," she said. "When I would say goodbye, I would tell him that I would see him tomorrow. He struggled with sleeping and nightmares, so I would tell him sweet dreams, and we worked on skills that would go beyond the classroom." But all that changed when she continued building a relationship with William and eventually became his foster parent and then his mom.
Speaking of her journey into momhood, she said, "It’s sometimes hard for me to say out loud, like, oh my gosh, I’m a mom. But I'm so thankful for what I’ve been given and for how I’ve become a mom. You don’t expect it to happen so early, but I know it’s how I was chosen to be a mom." The duo is now starting their new life in a new home and with another addition to the family: a puppy who was an early Christmas present for William. "It has definitely been a crazy ride but I think it’s just now getting started," Bramlett said. "This is just the beginning."
Cover Image Source: TikTok/@Paigebram
References:
https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/living/story/woman-adopts-year-boy-forming-bond-school-81893627
https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/17093408/teacher-fostered-five-year-old-student-people-said-crazy/
