May is National Foster Care Month. So we're going to celebrate by moving our homestudy up to May 27th! That means we'll be fostering in about a month, how crazy is that!? Thankfully our wonderful friend has agreed to watch our kids so DH and I can have a little getaway before fostering begins. This is a big part of our plan to be successful - we have to be a well-functioning married team to handle the stress a foster child will bring.
Today was another foster parenting class for me. It went a full two hours because a mom in the class had major issues with the subject for today - discipline. Listening to her I counted my lucky stars that my kids respond well to discipline and that we already employ many of the recommended techniques. Charts to track goals and positive behavior are a one we don't use, but we do use other forms of positive reinforcement like allowance. When we have a foster child I may need to use charts just so no one gets lost in the shuffle. (They gave me a whole pack of charts that work for toddlers up to teens, tell me if you'd like a few and I'll email them to you.)
Discipline is a fine balance with any child. The goal is to teach the rules of productive living while at the same time building a loving relationship. The one doesn't preclude the other. That balance is even more important and delicate with a foster child who desperately needs proper discipline and love. Thankfully I won't be alone in trying to meet a foster child's needs, we have a great foster agency, friends, and church family.
Learn a bit more about Foster Care through these links, it's changed in the last decade and might not be what you think it is:
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The National Foster Parent Association forum - maybe the question you have is being answered, or see what fosters are talking about.
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On this site you'll find personal stories.
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This is another site with stories from foster children, foster parents, birth parents, and social workers.
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Here's a foster/adoptive mother sharing the story of the woman who fostered her baby until the adoption was final.
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Foster parents of over 150 infants through 25 years - Amazing and Inspiring!
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I love the title of this fostering blog! - Peace, Love, Understanding, Can I get that to go?
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This one is good too - Noisy, Colorful, Lively
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And just in case you missed my previous posts - These are the two foster blogs I check daily. Fosterhood in NYC is for humor and Popp Life is for the spiritual.
Are you sick of me yet?
I'm curious about your charts. We're having "issues" with one of our children and it is way beyong stressing me out. I wish I could go to your classes with you! I'd probably learn a lot.
It's exciting that your getting so close to fostering. Great idea to get away with your husband too. Good luck!
Posted by: Amanda D | May 04, 2010 at 03:13 PM
I can't wait to see how your fostering adventure unfolds! Your family will be in my thoughts through these exciting times :)
Posted by: Maura | May 05, 2010 at 11:20 AM
Is there any way you could e-mail me those charts? We just came up with some behavior charts for the boys, but I am sooooo open and looking for additional ideas! Thanks for the shout out - I've been meaning to ask you if it is ok for me to add you to my blog roll, if not that's totally fine!
Posted by: Maggie Popp | May 06, 2010 at 02:59 PM