“The best things in life are usually the hardest to accomplish,” says the statement flowing across Thomas and Jonathan West’s widely viewed Instagram reel. Their journey to becoming parents has embodied these words and although they are now fathers of four adopted children, the path has been riddled with obstacles.

We never imagined that a watch-sized battery could be so dangerous. One morning Charlotte told us she had just finished eating her snack. The comment was odd because we hadn't given her anything to eat since we had just recently finished breakfast, so we prodded further only to hear her say, "I swallowed my lucky coin."

Children need our love, support, and guidance in so many ways.

They need to know they're loved, they need to know they have our support, and they need to know we'll always be there to guide them when times are tough.

They don't need to hear us tell them to "be careful" all the time.