While the holidays are typically thought of as a warm and bright time of the year, especially for children, there are some cases where this is a more difficult period for foster children. As a foster parent, however, there are several approaches you can take to make this a fun, inviting season rather than something that brings up bad thoughts or memories.
As many parents are well aware, sibling rivalries are a common occurrence among some kids within the same family. This same theme also applies for foster children and foster families — but it may be visible in different ways, and may require a few different basic strategies for how to handle it (along with some similar ones).
If you’re a new foster parent entering this world for the very first time, one of the occasions you likely look forward to most of all is getting the call for your first placement. It’s very exciting to know that your first foster child has been placed in your home and will soon be arriving — but it’s also important to contain yourself long enough to make some simple preparations before this happens.
At the outset, “what makes a good foster parent?” may seem like a silly question. What makes a good foster parent are the same things that make a good parent. Yet, the question still bears answering. Even if the traits that make a good foster parent are the same as those that make a good parent, what are they?