What are the traditions of foster family holidays? Is it possible to make these days special while also managing the stress and grief that inevitably accompany these visits with family? If so, here are some suggestions:
Traditions of foster family holidays
One way to make your holiday celebration more meaningful for foster children is to include them in the festivities. Whether they're celebrating a birthday, Christmas, or New Year's, you can do it with the help of foster kids! In this article, Megan and Heather explain how to get foster children involved in the holiday traditions of their foster families. Read on to learn more! The traditions of foster families are important to foster children and should be included in their celebrations.
For children, holidays are difficult, especially when they don't have a home. Holidays can trigger memories of the birth family, so talk to your foster child about how they feel. Include the child in holiday preparations. During the holidays, they might miss their siblings, and the warmth and familiarity of family celebrations will be missing. Being alone in a new home can be difficult, and you may feel angry or betrayed.
Stress
There's no doubt that holidays are a time of great stress for foster families. Children and foster parents may not understand their extended family's customs and traditions. Preparing for the holiday season may be helpful by introducing your foster child to the family before the main event. Show them pictures of the extended family, or go through the family's traditions individually. Keep calm, and try not to add extra tasks to your list. Instead, focus on doing the simplest things to create lasting memories for your foster child.
When children feel stressed, they may exhibit some of the following behaviors: increased demand for attention, aggressive or regressive behaviors, increased crying and whining or engaging in self-soothing behaviors. Acknowledge your child's feelings and offer them activities they can do outdoors. This will help them cope with their stress levels. But if you don't know what is causing the stress, you can talk to them and find out how they feel.
Grief
Children in foster care often feel a deep sense of guilt when they are not spending the holidays with their biological or birth parents. These feelings may cause stress, guilt, and anxiety. Fortunately, there are ways to handle these feelings. Here are some suggestions. Talk to them about the holidays to help your foster child feel better during the holidays your family celebrates. Let them know what you have in store for them. They'll be more comfortable with the idea of spending the holidays with their foster family.
Schedule an informal meeting for your foster child before the holidays. This will help lessen any feelings of guilt or sadness that might develop. If your foster child cannot make it to the festivities, let them know who they'll meet and how to get in touch with them. Setting up FaceTime or personal phone calls for them to meet the host may be helpful. But remember to keep their names and other details confidential.
Stressful visits with family
A foster parent can have a high PSI score and still experience stressful visits with the foster family. This is because there may be an underlying stigma against birth parents or the foster parent's vulnerability. The best way to deal with this is to focus on resolving the reasons causing these feelings and make adjustments accordingly. Here are some tips:
Kids don't always behave appropriately on first visits. It is sometimes not possible for parents to show up when they're supposed to. Kids can be unpredictable, so you can never know what to expect. Moreover, they can't tolerate hurtful words, which can exacerbate distress. It's important to be patient and understanding. Remember that a stressful visit is not the end of the world.
Preparing foster children for holiday visits
There are many tips for preparing foster children for holiday visits. First, you should tell your child's Social Worker or Supervising Social Worker about the holiday. Let the workers know when and where you are going and how you'll be communicating with your foster children. Give them information about how to handle the inevitable noise. If you are leaving on an airplane, ensure you have all the necessary paperwork completed so they're ready when you arrive.
Talk about the holiday with your foster child. This way, they will be more prepared when the holiday approaches. Explain to your foster child about the holiday's traditions, as well as the traditions of the extended family. For example, make sure your foster child knows about the travel plans, and make sure they know that the holiday will differ from theirs. Once you've explained the holiday, it's time to get to know the children's extended families.
