This is a great tip, thanks for adding it in!

I think having a handbook with names or your name/picture on bedroom door could be helpful for that too! For the older reading kiddos. I have to see someone’s name to remember it and having stuff like that relieves so much anxiety.

Maybe a name plate of the family member names so they can look and read it if they read. Maybe a wall of photos of the family with names to match the faces and a mirror to show they are apart of the family on the wall for however long that is

My mom made a family and friends book when I was a baby with names and pics of everyone.

That’s a great idea! I hope it went well.

I can't even act with that much skill in EMT or Physician Associate school when we "practice" on nobody.

That’s so kind thank you. I feel so embarrassed and silly when I do it! I won’t film in front of Chris 🫣😅

Honestly this is a real strength of what you do on here - thank you for going through the feeling silly part!

Agreed!

No direct experience myself (thank goodness), but from everything I've seen and heard, one of the *many* problems with the foster system is that it's a complete lottery. There are great foster parents who are fostering for all the right reasons and awful parents fostering for all the wrong ones. One constant seems to be that even good foster parents are so often hamstrung by the lack of support from the rest of the system. So they get overwhelmed, can't help their fosters, even if they are genuinely trying to, and often burn out and stop fostering altogether. And because the foster system is so often overloaded and can be so awful, children end up staying with unfit parents or are put in unsuitable kinship care because the alternative is even worse. I'm not American, but this also often seems to be the case in other Western countries who, like the US, really should have the resources to do better. Our children deserve better.

@@PonderingStudentCome to understand that foster system that originated in the us was and still often is a part of colonialism. It’s like this was and it is awful for a reason. Not a good one at all.

Wonderful ❤

I wish you the best in life.

Wow, thank you for watching for so long! And thank you for considering supporting foster youth in the future. There are often so many programs that you can plug into - from respite care to emergency shelter programs. Thank you for your care!

It's good to follow their lead! If they are an older youth, you can have a welcome kit with snacks in their room. That can be helpful. Eggo makes a waffle that is in a package. Fruit can also be an easy thing to put into a welcome kit. They may not know what they are supposed to do in the morning, so it's ok to guide and prompt (especially because there could be appointments) but this is a getting to know you period and so consider taking your cues from them on how they want to interact.

@@foster.parenting Yeah, as an introverted enneagram 9w1, I would've wanted to come out but been scared to do "the wrong thing" or "interrupt the foster parent's morning," so I appreciate this kind of thinking and prompting. I experienced this when staying over at friend's houses growing up. I was usually the first one up, or I may have needed to use the restroom but didn't want to disturb anyone. Even at 34, I am still so careful of everyone else's time and thoughts.

I'm a former foster youth, but from my experience, there's far more often least older kids just wanting to be left alone. There can be emergency placements, but a lot of the time foster youth are moved between homes and a new placement isn't coming from being removed from their bioparent(s) but from another foster home. I was in 6 different foster homes for example. In terms of when kids enter foster care - a lot of kids are really in shock or have a lot of questions foster parents can't answer. That was the big thing with me - it was absolutely a family crisis and no one would answer if my mom was ok or even alive (she was in the hospital after a drug overdose). I was pacing and absolutely panicked about what was going on with my mom and all I remember was a baby crying all the time and my foster mom wanting me to play Monopoly and making me go to bed ridiculously early. I don't think there's a lot of training on what to do in terms of a crisis like that - it's all telling kids to contact their caseworker and requesting therapy. I couldn't even get anyone to take me to the hospital to see my mom. It's all - you have this place to stay and a bed to sleep in and food so you're good and that's supposed to be enough.

@@KatTheo431 Good heavens, that sounds awful! I'm so sorry you went through that.

@@KatTheo431 hope ur mom is good Now

KatTheo, I'm so sorry that you were treated like that in an already scary time. Laura is trauma-informed, and emotional "first aid" definitely comes first. I would also love to see a video on how best to react to a triggered child.

Ty for saying yes!

Bless you !

Hey, how did it go? ❤

Thank you for watching :)

I appreciate the requests! :)

I'm not a foster parent, but I'd try talking through the door - not yelling, though! Just calling their name and saying "I made breakfast/lunch/dinner, you can come out if you want some", or ask if they want to watch a specific movie with me. Invitations that show "you are allowed to come out and you are welcome here", not forcing them out.

Some youth want to be at school with their friends and teachers, and some need to sleep in and rest and have a moment to breathe. Talk to the worker. The workers I've worked with have all been compassionate - but I know I am lucky and that is not the case everywhere. If you are unsure of something, always ask. Also, they may want the youth to visit the medical center depending on the reason for their removal. It really all varies by kid, case, and worker!

Ty for watching!

That really sucks that you cant foster maybe one day

Rooting for you!! Working in education is tough.

It really depends on the disability and the ages of the children you have I would think. For example, it would be extremely hard to be a wheelchair user parenting a toddler alone but might not be a problem with older children and teens.

Well you need a healthy Balance. IT IS definitely importsnt to give the Kids Options. If you realize IT IS difficult for them to decide, Help them. BE compassionate.

If she's fostering babies she can simply move out of the room the baby is in and film. Most other age groups will have some form of activity outside of the home where she will have time to film (school or therapy etc)

Anyone they meet should already know you are foster parents. “This is Ashley!” Is all that’s needed. For acquaintances, you can ask the child how they want to be introduced. “They are staying with us for a little while” is usually sufficient but check with the youth and see how they want to be introduced. It’s usually different depending on situation - eg at a community event vs at school

Hmm would depend on age honestly for the caffeine. I probably would grab caffeine free pop. For chips, I’m fine with that! Chips are a safe food for many. There is a lot I can build on into their diet when you stop with chips! :)

She is married, I'm not sure if they have other kids. But things will always be different because children are not a monolith. Fostering a baby is not the same as fostering a 14 year old. All kids are there for different reasons and for different lengths of time.

I think they have done a vid abt this

Stop spamming