A Forever Family

Fostering Change One Child at a Time

By: Rob Scheer, Jon Sternfeld - contributor

Narrated by: Rob Scheer

Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

In the tradition of The Promise of a Pencil and Kisses from Katie comes an inspirational memoir by the founder of Comfort Cases about his turbulent childhood in the foster care system and the countless obstacles and discrimination he endured in adopting his four children.

Rob Scheer never thought he would be living the life he is now. He’s happily married to his partner and love of his life, he’s the father of four beautiful children, and he’s the founder of an organization that makes life better for thousands of children in the foster care system.

But life wasn’t always like this.

Growing up in an abusive household before his placement in foster care, Rob had all the odds stacked against him. Kicked out of his foster family’s home within weeks after turning 18 - with a year left of high school to go - he had to resort to sleeping in his car and in public bathrooms. He suffered from drug addiction and battled with depression, never knowing when his next meal would be or where he would sleep at night. But by true perseverance, he was able to find his own path and achieve his wildest dreams.

Poignant, gripping, and inspiring, Rob’s story provides a glimpse into what it’s like to grow up in the foster care system, and sheds necessary light on the children who are often treated without dignity. Both a timely call to action and a courageous and candid account of life in the foster care system, A Forever Family ultimately leaves you with one message: one person can make a difference.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 Rob Scheer and Jon Sternfeld (P)2018 Simon & Schuster

Great listen!

I really enjoyed this story. I adopted my daughter out of the foster system and it definitely sheds light on the serious systemic issues that exist - I didn’t go through nearly what this family did but there were a lot of parallels on my journey too.

If you’ve ever considered being a foster parent of just being a part of making the system better for the kids in it - this is a must listen!

Important but one-sided memoir.

I loved the overall message that Rob communicates perfectly. His strength, perseverance and dedication is truly inspiring. I feel he overgeneralizes and misrepresents foster homes and social workers working in the Child protective services system. No one goes into the field of social work that doesn’t truly care and want to make a difference in the world for children. The lack of resources and finances make it impossible to do what truly needs to be done to help these children. I also felt he Unfairly generalized foster care families. I’m sure there are some families that do it for a paycheck. But there are a lot of easier ways to make money and yet they choose to be foster parents anyway. The foster families that I have known are caring loving people that certainly make mistakes but are trying to fill a hole that seems to be endless. The need for foster families is huge across the country. I also felt that Robs depiction of what it was like in his family bringing four very young foster children all at the same time without issues or problems is a little difficult to believe. What is so remarkable is you dealt with the difficulties and you gave four children an amazing home and helped countless others with your nonprofit. Overall a good read.

Amazing book ever

I loved every word of this book. I deeply moved his life and his life inspired me so much!

Tugs at your heartstrings in the best way!

This compelling listen tugs at your heartstrings, reminding you that anything is possible if you believe in, and lead with love. I have listened to it twice since I purchased it, and each time cried such a therapeutic cry to listen to the unbelievable challenges Rob went through in his life, and smiled so strongly with pride to listen to how he refused to let it defeat him, and how he made something better from it. The love story or Rob and Reese is simply lovely. You hear Rob's adoration for his partner in the tone of how he describes their journey together makes you wish that they were a standard of love stories in today's modern age. I'm so grateful to have found this story to provide perspective when I needed it, and inspiration to believe in the good humans of this world, like Rob and Reese. Their children will have a magical future because of their love and commitment to family.

Beautiful and real story

Thank you for sharing this! I am about to begin my journey as a guardian ad litem and am hopeful to be a foster (and possibly an adoptive) parent one day. I found this to give great insight into what these children are experiencing and why they may act out and that compassion, patience, and love are what we need more of. Much love.

Great Storytelling!

Riveting story of human need, struggle, generosity and finding love and belonging.
The candid and real look into the world of foster care was done with frank honesty and sensitivity, yet unapologetically real.

Read it versus listen

The author is the narrator. His way of speaking sounds really corny, almost like he's reading a children's book. He doesn't pronounce the first T in statistic and it drove me nuts. You can also tell some of the parts of the story are not true, some things he says his very young children say that are so sweet and thoughtful but...no that young child did not say that on their own. I would have preferred to read this versus the audiobook, it was a struggle to finish.