Helping Foster Kids Feel Loved This Valentine’s Day

It takes a big heart to become a foster parent. In the US alone, nearly half a million kids are in foster care on any given day, and help is desperately needed. Many people consider fostering at one point or another, but you actually stepped up to the plate and made the commitment, knowing that every child deserves to grow up feeling loved.

Of course, building a new relationship takes time and effort, and this is doubly true when it comes to bonding as a foster family. Thankfully, Valentine’s Day offers a natural opportunity to show your foster children just how much you really care. Here are a few ways to make the holiday extra special for kids in foster care this year.

Made With Love

Nothing says “I love you” more than a thoughtful meal made with love. Start by whipping up a batch of homemade pancakes on the 14th, and top them with heart-shaped sliced strawberries for a Valentine’s Day twist. If you’re pressed for time in the morning, pick up a dozen donuts drizzled with pink icing and sprinkles instead. At lunchtime, leave a cute note or some chocolate in their lunchbox, and cut their sandwich with a cookie-cutter heart just for fun. For dinner, prepare a buffet spread of your child’s favorite foods or cook a special meal together as a family. And don’t forget to end the day with a store-bought sweet treat or delicious, freshly-baked dessert!

Make A Date

Plan to do something fun with your foster child/children after school on February 14th. Ideas can include going to a local ice cream parlor for a hot fudge sundae, playing a round of mini-golf, roller skating, or even simply visiting a playground. You could also catch a movie at the theater, or pop up some corn, put on your coziest PJs, and watch a family-friendly flick at home. Subscription streaming services like HBO, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ let you catch new releases from the comfort of your living room sofa. The important thing is spending quality time together, so think about an activity your foster family would enjoy, and make a date.

Love Makes A Family

There is no better gift to give a child than a family, and Valentine’s Day offers a unique opportunity to help your foster child feel loved. But remember, there are also lots of little ways to show your foster child love throughout the year. Like we mentioned earlier, it takes a big heart to become a foster parent, but it is well worth the time and effort. Fostering not only helps a child in need, but it can also enrich your life in so many ways. If you have room in your heart and feel the call to become a foster parent in the state of Illinois, contact Camelot Care Centers today, or visit our website for more information.

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.