Foster Parenting E-Magazine, December 2012
Foster Parenting Announcements
Photolisting: Now is the perfect time to raise foster and adoption awareness. If you have your own blog or website, perhaps you would like to add our Photo Listing Widget to help raise awareness of foster children nationwide.
Would you like to help more children from your agency get adopted faster? Click here for a form to add children to our photolisting. This service is FREE to all states and includes a team of technical support and customer service staff to maintain the Photolisting.
Don't see any children from your state? Please contact your local officials to let them know you would like to see children from your state.
Blogging: Interested in Blogging? We're currently looking for volunteer bloggers for the following categories: Foster Adoption and Foster Care. This may be the perfect time to voice your adoption experiences and share with our community.
Life After NAM
As you're probably aware, November was National Adoption Month. The main goal always centers on educating the public about the children in foster care who are waiting to be adopted. If you and your household got involved last month, you probably had a great time. Your foster children undoubtedly were hopeful to be adopted themselves. But now that National Adoption Month has passed, it can be a sad and lonely time for many foster children and even for foster parents. But life after National Adoption Month doesn't have to only be waiting for next November to continuing spreading the word. You and your foster children can continue forward with the informing and educating of others about those foster children in need of loving, permanent forever families. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Create Events throughout the Year - Consider having regular events throughout the year, not just in November. It could be once a month or once every three months, and it doesn't have to be a big ordeal or cost a lot of money. What if you and your foster children set up an informational booth at your state's fair or in front of the local grocery store? Get everyone involved and everyone will benefit. You could go door to door and hand out pamphlets about adopting from foster care. It could be as simple as that.
Reassure Your Foster Children - Just because your foster children weren't adopted doesn't mean they aren't worthy of adoption and valuable to you. Reassure your foster children of their worth and value. The holiday season can be tough for them. They aren't with their biological families and perhaps no other families have expressed interest in them. Take it as your responsibility to provide them with a loving, warm, and welcoming home. Get them involved in the holiday festivities and make sure they're aware of the important roles they play in your foster family and in your foster home.
Find Volunteer Opportunities - Volunteering is a great way to get out of your own mind and help those in need. Make it a family effort and get everyone involved. The volunteer opportunities you seek out don't have to be foster-care or adoption-related. You and your foster children can volunteer at a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen. They can help clean up the local parks or even babysit for a neighbor in need. Your foster children may be going through a rough time, but helping others can alleviate those feelings.
Make Time to Listen - Every one of your foster children have concerns that are plaguing their minds. So, make time to listen. Some of your foster children may not be ready to speak, but just knowing that you're there for them can help them feel at peace, comforted, and happy. And when they really are ready to talk, you'll be there waiting to listen. It will foster a relationship of trust, love, security, and mutual respect.
Life after National Adoption Month can be hard on any foster child waiting to be placed. And while you can't take that pain or fear away, you can give them ample reasons to continue to progress in their lives. Love them, listen to them, and respect them. They are valuable and special, even if they weren't adopted. Keep your home happy and full of love. The rest will follow on its own time.
The Adoption Photolisting
Hoping to Adopt? Create Your Profile Today and get 30 Days FREE!
Sign up with Parent Profiles to create your adoption profile today and start connecting with expectant and placing parents. Your profile will be featured on many of the best known adoption websites. Mention you saw this ad or when completing your paperwork use code PPCN and we will give you 30 days free*.
*Contact ParentProfiles.com for details.
The information and links displayed above relate to profile posting services provided on the ParentProfiles.com web site, which is a service of Adoption Profiles, L.L.C., who sponsors this section and is solely responsible for its content.
Foster Parenting Blogs from AdoptionBlogs.com
What's in a Name
We are Roman Catholics and our tradition is to give our children the name of a saint or a virtuous Old Testament Character. Similar to other naming traditions... more
Calling Out the Greats
I think that one of the most amazing people I have ever had the privilege of watching was a foster mother who intentionally opened her life to foster teens in her area... more
Foster Parenting Community, News & Events
Foster Parent Support - Extreme PTSD can look like Autism?
Foster Parent Support - antagonistic "helping"
Foster Parent Support - Ricki Lake Show
Foster Parent Support - Family Home study approved?
Add your non-marketing adoption related event at no cost. Get started today by registering for an account.
Foster Parenting Tip of the Month
Ask each of your foster children for a great holiday tradition idea. It could be one they used to do with their family or one they've always wanted to do. Implement each one this year and have a great time!
In Your Words
"I began my journey as a foster parent in February 2012. This has been something that I have wanted to do for a while and I decided in January of 2012 that I was going to cross this off my bucket list. I have a friend that referred me to my private company and I began my classes twice a week for 6-8 weeks. After I finished my classes, I began to get my room ready. I raised two boys and decided that I wanted to foster girls because I never had a daughter. I am 43 and a lot of my friends asked, "Are you crazy? Your kids are grown!!" I said no. I look at this as my chance to have a daughter and I am going for it. I created a beautiful yellow, white, and purple room with butterflys on the walls and stocked the closets full of clothes of all different sizes. I set myself up for siblings with a toddler bed and a twin bed, but I also will do respite care for boys and pregnant teen moms.
"As a widow of three years, I look at this as my chance to have laughter in my home again. I am a single parent by choice, not by circumstance. My licence should be here in early November and I will begin my adventure. When asked what I look forward to in fostering, I look forward to cooking with them, taking them on new adventures, doing their hair. But mostly I look forward to helping the little people know that it will be OK and it's OK for them to be a kid because I am the adult and I am here to love them unconditionally and make it all better." - Wanda
Share Your Thoughts with Us
Have something to share in the next issue of the emag? Please use the form below to tell us about your thoughts, comments, experiences, feedback, etc. Your submission may appear in an upcoming issue of the emag.
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