Siblings in foster care are usually separated due to a lack of resources. There are not many homes that can accommodate large sibling groups and provide all their needs.
This was what a set of six siblings in Tampa, Florida had to go through for three years. Luckily, a kind-hearted couple adopted them all so they could live together again.
When Daniel and Dustin Johnson started dating, they both agreed they wanted to have children, but not through surrogacy. “We knew there were kids in our own backyard who needed a loving home,” Dustin said.
The couple got married in 2020 and immediately went to pre-adoption classes. Through these classes, they learned about the chances of foster children getting adopted.
This is why they were open to kids of all ages and even to sibling groups. “Daniel and I are both close with our siblings and we knew how much it would hurt to be separated from them when we were growing up,” shared Dustin.
Their wish came true when they met a set of six siblings in foster care through an adoption agency. They were Roslin, 3, Cade, 6, Kaelix, 7, Izayah, 9, Amiyah, 10, and Reid, 11. They have been separated for three years, living in different homes.
Adopting all the siblings was fulfilling but it also comes with challenges. According to Dustin, the children experienced night terrors when they first lived with the couple.
They have witnessed a lot of terrifying events such as drug abuse and domestic violence, which caused their post-traumatic stress disorder.
“One of the kids had over 25 different placements. They never had enough food, so they’d just gorge,” Dustin explained.
“I’ll never forget the first time we had one of the kids over, and the kid sat there and ate, like, 12 hot dogs.”
The children also came with major trust issues, which the couple found difficult to deal with at first. The oldest daughter, Amiyah, was the most challenging one as she always believed that their mother might come back and save them.
“I think it was hard for her to bond with us because in her head it meant she was betraying her mother,” Dustin disclosed.
Eventually, Amiyah started to trust the couple and realized they are now in a safe environment. “We were actually really terrified of what was going to happen,” Dustin said.
“And then she did a complete 180 and was so happy and cried tears of joy.”
Source: The Johnson Family
All the kids have slowly let go of their trust issues and learned to love their two dads. Through therapy and the love from their new parents, their mental health is getting better each day.
They are now inseparable and love doing various activities together such as biking and fishing while their evenings are full of laughter and cuddles.
“The new thing they’re excited about is taking vacations. They love vacations now, but hotels used to be a trigger because they’ve lived in hotels,” Dustin said.
Though the children are not fully healed yet, the couple tries their best to give them all the love they deserve and let them make up for the years they were separated.
The children are very close to each other now and the boys are inseparable. “They’re almost co-dependent,” said Dustin. We had the boys split up in two different rooms, and they came to us and asked if they could all be together.”
To the men who are considering becoming first-time parents through adoption, Dustin’s advice is to simply do it.
“There’s a huge need in every community for foster kids that need homes. So if I can say anything, it’s to advocate for people to do it.”
Watch how the Johnson family handled all adoption challenges in this video:
