A lot of people who have worked for several decades look forward to retirement because it gives them the chance to escape from the daily rush-hour grind and the chaos of sending the kids off to school.
After all, retirement should be all about cruise ships and beautiful sunsets after a life spent working so hard.
But not so Pauline and Derek Leeder, a married couple who are both in their eighties, because they actually miss the hustle and bustle of family life. For that reason, they decided to open the doors of their home to foster children.
Watch to meet this lovely couple below.
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Video credit: Rumble
That makes them one of the oldest foster carers in Britain.
Pauline and Derek have six biological children but once they all grew up and left the nest, they started to miss what it was like to have all those children around.
Pauline said: “We have fostered 13 children since we gave up running our own antique business.
“Our friends think we’re mad to do what we do.
“But it’s changed their views on how to look after children and the different ways they can come into care.
“We get so much pleasure out of helping others and we like creating this lovely family environment.
“We started off WHEN, where we were approved foster carers for over two and a half year.
“There we were short term placements for two large siblings groups.
“One consisted of five kids, starting from eight months to seven years and the second family had six siblings aged from seven months to 11 years.
“We tend to not think about the age as it doesn’t bother us or the children.
“A social worker once said that it was good for the children to have grandparent carers as the children saw their parents a lot.
“We then began taking kids on as respite for other carers but we also made an effort to take in sibling groups.
“We had one sibling group of two, aged three and four who we supported through to adoption.
“We’ve had a sibling group of three aged from a year to five years.
“We helped the youngest become adopted and we’re still working with the two remaining.”
Derek says that fostering helps keep him and his wife looking young and active.
He added: “We’re always amazed at how quickly the children settle and accept this as their home.
“We always remember how the children came to us, and the difference they’ve made when they leave.
“We keep going because we know we can help make a difference, and provide a safe family environment.
“Without a doubt fostering is the most rewarding thing we’ve ever done.
“We’ve got loads of energy and fostering doesn’t limit us at all.
“In fact, it’s made us less judgmental around other people’s situations, and more tolerant.
Replaced!