so it's Giveaway Time again!!!
I LOVE doing giveaways!
:-)
I'm going with something totally practical this time. A $25 gift card to the winner's choice of store, restaurant, etc. (as long as I can order it online ;-).
Entry into this one is easy! (Okay, so I'm totally lying. I'm gonna make you work for this one. ;-) I'd like to bring back "Foster Fridays" in some form, but I need help brainstorming topic ideas. That's where you come in!
Just leave a comment (either here on the Facebook page) with your foster care related topic ideas and/or any questions that you might have about the "Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How's" of foster care. And as an added bonus, if you come up with 5 or more, I'll give you an extra entry!
I will announce the winner on Thursday evening, and will (hopefully) have a new "Foster Friday" post this Friday.
Let the brainstorming begin!!!
9 comments:
OK, what about daycare for foster children? IS it paid for by your state, and if so, do you have to work a minimum number of hours for them to do so? I only work 20 hours per week, our state requires me to work 30 in order for them to pay for daycare.
1. Saying goodbye
2. Openness with bio family
3. School and friends, sleepovers how do you handle them? Are they allowed?
4. Attending hearings
How does everyone explain a foster relationship to small children? And what "titles" do you use to help them understand? For example... We have referred to my sister's long term foster kids as my kids' "cousins". They hear the foster kids call me "Aunt Christy" and my mom and dad "Nana and Papa". But then what is confusing to them is when the foster kids get sent back to live with one or both of their biological parents and they then have either limited or no contact again. The kids keep asking me if the foster kids were/are "really part of our family?". I think it is confusing to them because they have other "cousins" who are permanent. So I wonder how everyone else explains and "labels" the relationship?
1. How do visits with bio family work?
2. What about vacations and respite care?
3. Going to court, do you go or not and why or why not?
4. Who can baby-sit or care for your foster child? There are so many differences across the country as to the requirements of those qualified to baby-sit your foster child.
5. Does the per diem really cover the costs of caring for your foster child? Practical ideas for stretching your reimbursements for your child. What do you do with any extra money you may have at the end of the month?
Christy made me think of a 5th!
How and what do you explain to your foster child about the court dates and what is going on? Guess what age too? Don't want to get their hopes up but kind of want to prepare them.
1. Preparing your bio/adoptive/other children in the home for a foster child to leave.
2. How do you answer "those" annoying questions in a somewhat polite manner? (i.e. "I could never do that" or "Oh, she's SO cute...why is she in foster care?")
Blogger ate my comments. My brain is a little fried so I'm not sure if I'm going to remember them all...
1. House rules. I'd love examples from those that actually have them and use them. My kids are such black & white thinkers that I'm afraid if I boiled the more specific ones down that we have into generics that could be posted (per minimum standards) they would spend all their time trying to find loopholes.
2. Life books. How do you do these for kids that can't really contribute to them (by discussing their past). I make photo albums and save their things. Does anyone have any great life book ideas?
3. Bio family visits. Do you bring things (that technically the bio family is supposed to provide) like food, drinks and entertainment?
I know I had two more but I can't remember them for the life of me.
OK - the cherubs are all playing nicely. I'll try to come up with two more...
4. Social media. My licensing agency sent out a memo a year ago saying we are not allowed to discuss fostering at all on any social media. I'd love to know other's thoughts on this. Obviously I write a blog so I'm breaking the rule. But it's anonymous. So am I "ok"?
5. The legal side of things. How much contact do you have with the lawyers? How regular is said contact? It's so limited where I live that I'm curious about other areas.
1. How long did it take to actually GET certified? (I'm still waiting 7+ months out).
2. How long did it take for your first placement.
3. The biggest newbie mistake foster parents have made.
4. I'd like to know other ways foster parents de-stress when dealing with foster care.
5. How do you find respite? Does everyone find their own or does the agency help with that.
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