Tips For Making Your Foster Teen’s Bedroom More Comfortable
May 29, 2020
Finding The Hidden Joy As A Foster Family
June 26, 2020
Some potential foster parents may be intimidated by the idea of fostering a teenager or may worry they lack experience with this age group. While it is true that teenagers have different needs than younger children, there are a lot of misconceptions about children in foster care, especially teenagers. The fact is, fostering a teenager can be a highly rewarding experience. Read on to learn more about what it takes for parenting a foster teen and whether it is right for you.
Having A Big Brother Or Sister Around
You may feel concerned about the influence a foster teen may have on your younger children. While the stigma is that foster teens are troubled kids who are ready to take their anger out on anyone, the truth is that many times these kids are more responsible than most people their age. It is likely that a foster teen could act as an older sibling to your younger children, helping them around the home, introducing them to their favorite childhood cartoon or playing with them outside. Having a big brother or sister around could be beneficial — and it’s possible you may even get another pair of eyes on your young child.
Understanding Where Teens Come From
While it is true that some teens placed into foster care come from the Department of Youth Corrections (DYC), many teens come from the Department of Human Services (DHS) and have had crimes committed against them. These are the teens who have suffered family trauma and who need a loving light to guide them and get them back on track. For four heartbreaking statistics that will make you want to be a foster parent, click here.
Communication Is Key
The key to a successful foster arrangement is constant communication between you and your foster teen. This is especially important in the beginning, when you are establishing boundaries, setting rules and guidelines, and acclimating them to your home. When a teenager breaks a rule, it is vital that you talk to them about it. Discuss rewards you can offer for following through with chores or finishing a big project in class. By taking the time to communicate any issues, you open the door to mutual understanding and a relationship built on trust and respect.
A Mentoring Heart
Above all, you must feel it within your heart that fostering a teenager would be meaningful to both you and the teen. Knowing that you have a say in a young person’s future should inspire you. Possessing a desire to show them that not everyone in the world is out to hurt them is truly powerful. If you are willing to be part of their life, check in on their studies, social lives and overall-wellness, then fostering a teen may be right for you.
There are many teens out there who possess the ability to change the world within them. By fostering a teenager, you have the potential to help unlock that ability. You have the potential to help a teen to discover themselves and their path toward college or a career, as they transition into adulthood. If you have patience and the desire to make a difference, then a foster teen in need could use your help. Click here to learn more about how to become a foster parent in the state of Illinois, and take that first step.
Every child needs and deserves to grow up safe and protected from abuse and neglect, and caring foster parents offer children support and stability when they need it most. At Camelot Care Centers, we specialize in higher-level foster care for children and adolescents that need extra support. We partner with our foster parents/homes to provide trauma informed care and additional services, including in-home counseling, parent support and training, tele-psychiatry, and therapeutic mentoring, to maintain children at the least restrictive, yet most appropriate level of care. Camelot Care Centers (“Camelot”) is a Child Welfare Agency
