Meet Whitney Wilson

For Whitney, whose favorite “me-time” activity is horseback riding, living in Lincoln is a dream come true. Mom to seven-year-old Chase, Whitney is also adopting Victoria, one of several teens she has cared for as a foster parent. Originally looking to take in boys her son’s age, Whitney was surprised when a social worker approached her about a teen girl. “I had no idea what to expect,” she says, but she’s glad she accepted. “I truly saw lives change,” she reflects. “People always ask if it is hard giving the children back… It would be harder to know I didn’t try to make a difference.”

If you told me 10 years ago where I’d be today, I’d be surprised that…
I would be able to live out in the country once again. I had dreamed of having my own little farm, and it is coming to pass.

The best part of being a mom is…
Knowing that just being there and spending time with my kids gives them security and lets them know I care. The little things mean the most: listening to the kids, watching whatever they may be doing or just hanging out.

The toughest part of parenthood is…
Not getting a break… and figuring out what works for each child.

When I need to relieve stress, I head straight for…
The gym.

My proudest parenting moment (so far) was…
Wow… My daughter was supposed to go to a continuation school, but she now attends the high school here and within one year raised her GPA from 1.8 to 3.2. I also recently met with my son’s teacher… She told me he is a leader in his classroom, stays on task, uses his manners, and has greatly improved from last year.

The best decision I ever made was…
To believe in God and leave things in his hands.

My motto is…
Live life to the fullest, and treat people the way you want to be treated.

Some advice I’d share with other moms…
We don’t have to be perfect to make a difference. Children just want your love and time. Even when you feel you’ve failed, with guidance, time and effort, they come around. I once had to give notice on one of the teens I had. She came back to say she knew I cared and that it was for her best interest… She admitted to trying to push me away, afraid I might hurt her like everyone else did. We stay in contact to this day.

Whitney was nominated for our “Mom Next Door” page by a friend at Koinonia Family Services. If you know a local mom or dad you’d like other readers to meet, e-mail  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .