Raising My Little Sister at 11 on $10 a Week

At 11 years old, Robin became a parentified child, managing household finances and cooking on just ten dollars a week.

After her mother passed away, her father left her to raise her little sister alone. When the family court intervened, he chose to send them into the foster care system rather than allow them to live with family. In this conversation, Robin details the harsh reality of life in a children's shelter and the long-term impact of childhood trauma when you are suddenly left to fend for yourself.

She reflects on five and a half years of total silence from her family and the resilience required to navigate family separation. Her story offers a raw look at the foster care system and the path toward healing while living with strangers.

Listen and follow: https://www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com/follow
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Full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G9amHFQnJM

Robin Rosenbluth is a former foster teen and the author of the memoir Living With Strangers: Healing a Wounded Heart in a Distant Land (She Writes Press, October 27, 2026). She sits on the board of You Gotta Believe, which finds permanent homes for older foster youth.
Website: https://robinrosenbluth.com
Substack: https://robinrosenbluth.substack.com