A new reader comments:
"I've just found your blog and read through many of your posts and I'd like to say I've found them really helpful - Thank you.My husband and I have recently started our assessment process through the LA (after much deliberation about whether we are doing the right thing and will it suit our young family - We have children aged 2 and 4)We love children, have worked with children...
Friday, July 29, 2016
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
WHAT MAKES SOMEONE WANT TO FOSTER?
The Nurse came yesterday to give one of our foster children their annual medical. The local authority sends her.
A lovely woman, we clicked. She did the usual; ten minutes alone with the child to chat about if she was happy, what her eating habits are, sleep patterns and so on.
Then she checked height and weight and the child was let go to play and the nurse and I sat down for a constructive...
Monday, July 25, 2016
WHAT SUMMER HOLIDAYS MEAN IN FOSTERING
When the schools break up, whether it's Christmas, Easter or Summer holidays, it means one thing to ordinary families, other things for fostering.
For all children, it's huge. We have to help them maximise the delight of freedom.
For the ordinary family there's a danger it seems like a problem. Unbelievably a stack of parents let it be known they're going to have to 'cope'. It may be that both...
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
TEN WAYS TO SUGAR THE PILL...
First off, I'm not an expert. But I think that swapping ideas about getting children to do things they don't want to do is a great idea. I've picked up a few techniques I'd like to share, if you've got some others, please pitch in.
1. PUNCTUALITY
Keep your clocks seven minutes fast.
Use digital time, because today's children get "Seven forty-five" better than "Quarter to Eight", because that's...
Thursday, July 14, 2016
FOSTERING AND SCHOOL PERFORMANCES
The school play, bit of a drag. Nativity, end-of-school show,concert, or straightforward school play.
They're always about 30% too long, and your child never gets a big enough part, never mind the issues they throw up for foster parents.
If you're a child in care you want your real parents there in the audience so that the universe is in alignment. Unfortunately their real parents probably...
Saturday, July 09, 2016
FOSTERING TIPS
Most of the things we do, the big things and the little things, benefit from a few tricks and tips.
The drive to work, if it's the same route and routine every day, can be lifted by learning when the level crossing gates are up and timing yourself to breeze through.
Parenting is one of life's big things, and I don't like to call the little devices 'Tips" or "Tricks" when it comes to the most important...
Tuesday, July 05, 2016
CAN SINGLE PEOPLE FOSTER?
You have to take your hat off to single parents.
We often wonder how we manage and there are two of us.
We went to a party thrown by a single mum we know and at the end of the evening we were the last to go. We helped her start to clear up and on the way home I said to Bill;
"Did you see the mountain of glasses and cups and plates and cutlery in the sink and on the draining board?"
If there's...