How to Deal With Your Foster Child’s Tantrums: Five Ways to Effectively Address Tantrums Imagine this. You’re in the local supermarket trying to get your groceries for the week. Your child asks if you can buy him the very candy that makes him the most hyper. When you say no, he proceeds to throw himself […]
Just as there is no one right way to be a good parent, there is no simple recipe for how to be a good foster parent. Every child is different and each situation is unique and should be approached on an individualized basis. That said, there are qualities, or ingredients, that a successful foster parent […]
So, you’re a new foster parent – congratulations! You’ve successfully completed your pre-service training and are ready to make a difference in the lives of children in need. Since you’ve been licensed, you’ve been excitedly (and a little anxiously) waiting for the phone to ring and hear a caseworker say, “I have a child who […]
Don’t Let Foster Parent Fears Scare You Away! Foster parenting is not for the faint of heart. Dealing with the child welfare system, birth parents and the sometimes challenging behaviors of foster children can be overwhelming. There’s a lot of uncertainty – many “what ifs” – when you’re a foster parent. Here are some of […]
September 28th is Ask A Stupid Question Day. Teachers started this “holiday” to encourage students to participate in class more often, without fear of being made fun of or being looked down upon. As adults, we often tell children that there’s no such thing as a stupid question, but are there some questions that, as […]
Adopting siblings from foster care is a commitment that can bring great joy to your family. But what if the siblings’ biological mother continues to have children? When you adopt siblings from foster care, you also must consider the possibility that there may be more brothers or sisters down the road. How do you decide […]
It’s not just adults who have misconceptions about foster care. Children often do as well, but they are quick to come to a compassionate and clearer understanding. “Turn a tear into a smile.” It was written in bright pink magic marker, sandwiched between a drawing of a crying blue faced moon and a bright yellow […]
Making a foster care adoption life book may be one of the most important things you can do for a child in your home. It never dawned on me until a year or so after the adoption finalization when Shannon, my first grade daughter, was the “Star of the Week”. This was very special; the […]
Foster care lies: sometimes they focus on the foster children, sometimes on the foster parents, but many are focused on demonizing the birth parents of children in foster care. These falsehoods are an all-too-common belief of the public, and sometimes, foster and adoptive parents themselves. Children are never placed in foster care through any fault […]
Coping with foster children hygiene issues isn’t easy, but teaching kids in your care how to take care of themselves is part of being a good foster parent. Here’s some insight on why some foster children refuse to bathe and ideas on how to get them on track. \No matter how frustrating it gets, it’s […]