How to Make Fostering “Check-Ups” Fun

It really happened by default. We like to have little themed parties and one day we are having a tea party when our Case Manager shows up for a surprise “Check-Up” visit.

How to Make Your Fostering “Check-Ups” Fun!

We wanted to help children, here’s why. With all the wonderful parts of loving and helping a child that wouldn’t have a home, let’s face it…There are some very difficult parts to fostering. One of the difficult parts is the demands of so many visitations…and visiting the biological parents is only one of those.

Requirements of Fostering

When you take in a child, you also take in some other wonderful people. But the downside is that you have to be available on a very unstructured calendar. For instance. In a two week period here is the expectation:

• A visit from the Case Manager (responsible for most paperwork on both the child and their biological parents)
• A visit from the Guardian Ad Litem (responsible solely for ensuring the child is doing well)
• A visit from the Licensing Agent (every month to ensure the Foster Parents are doing well)
• A visit with a biological parent at a facility designed for this purpose, usually in adjunct to,
• A visit with the other biological parent at the same facility designed for this purpose (In every child we had, there were always 2 visits, 2 parents separate) exception is if a parent is in prison, there is no required visit for the child
• A visit for each therapist that may be required for the child (e.g., play therapy, speech therapy, ...)

Am I “downing” any of these visits? Absolutely not! Each are necessary -for sure -and actually beneficial to insure the safety, progress and grounding of each child. But truly, I tell you, it becomes very disruptive to…well..life!

When our first foster son had cancer, that was a whole new ball game! Just add hospital appointments, emergency visits, and 5 day sessions to the mix! But even here we survive and reach out now to help others. Our story!

“As a mom who truly wants to make life enjoyable and teach my children to love people– we find a solution!”

The Solution

Make the best of it! Have a tea party. Minimal set-up and yet so anticipated. When we would have a scheduled appointment or surprise visit;

1. We would set the table,
2. Pull out the Tea,
3. Grab some healthy treats and
4. VOILA!

We found this allowed all of our children to anticipate our Guest and the meetings would go very well. The duration is usually between 30 minutes to 1 hour. We would sit and enjoy each others company. Our children and I would answer the questions and share what we’ve been doing.

In every aspect, it truly becomes a really fun TEA PARTY!

So for those of you that desire to adopt and will use the Fostering System to help a local child find a home…we recommend making the experience fun for everyone.

I’d love to hear your ideas too!

Keep Fostering Nutrition for your family…because everyone deserves to Be healthy and Belong!

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Mandy

Mandy is the force behind the nonprofit advocacy portal Real Food Recovery. Seeing the need for children at risk to have better foods and education to handle their trauma, Mandy founded a nonprofit organization using real food, real discussion, and encouragement. A Wife, Mom of birth and adopted children, author, BSc., Functional Nutritional Therapy Practice, Mandy shares simple food tips online and volunteers at local Group and Orphanage Homes.

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