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There’s no place like home for the holidays, and for children in foster care, this time of year can be anything but merry and bright. Instead of comfort and joy, festivities and family gatherings may be difficult for a displaced child or teen missing their home, biological parents, and siblings. They can also bring up memories of past trauma and neglect. Therefore, it is important to be sensitive to your child’s emotional needs as a foster parent while striving to make this time of year special. Here are a few tips for a happier holiday season.
Talk to your caseworker.
Remember that you are not alone in this fostering journey. Often, caseworkers can offer some insight to help you navigate the holiday season as a foster parent, from information on your child’s background and past holiday experiences, to observing the unique holiday traditions of your child’s religion or culture. Caseworkers can also help identify any triggers to avoid this time of year and whether or not there will be any planned holiday visits with your child’s biological family.
Involve your child in any plans.
Part of being sensitive to your child’s emotional needs is getting their input before making holiday plans. If they are old enough to communicate their thoughts and feelings, sit down together to discuss what they would like to do to celebrate the season—and what makes them uncomfortable. Also go over what to expect before any gathering or holiday event. Involving your child or teen in the process helps to ensure their needs will be met and heads off any problems that could arise.
Establish new traditions.
In addition to honoring the traditions that are important to your foster child or teen, establishing new traditions can help facilitate bonding as a foster family. Whether it’s baking cookies, decking the halls, cruising the neighborhood for light shows, planning a holiday movie marathon, giving your child a small budget to shop for gifts to give, or wrapping up something special from their wish list, creating positive memories can go a long way to ease the sadness your child or teen may be experiencing over the holidays.
Camelot Care Centers wishes all our families a very happy holiday season! If you live in the state of Illinois are want to become a foster parent, we invite you to visit our website for more information, or click on the following link to get started: https://family.binti.com/users/signup/camelot-il-initial
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.
