Caring for the Foster Parents in Your Life

It’s May! That means families are preparing for summer break. Many families have a love/hate relationship with summer break, and foster families are no different. Transitions like school breaks and holidays can be very stressful for children who have experienced the trauma of being removed from the care of their biological family and sometimes experience multiple transitions in multiple foster homes. If it’s stressful for the kids, chances are it’s stressful for the parents!

This month, we encourage you, as a support team, to think about ways you can help reduce the stress of the foster parents you care for. What are ways that you practice stress relief? What do you know about your foster parents that could help you encourage their “self-care”?

Is your foster parent a dog lover? A new dog toy or leash might encourage playtime with their four-legged friend.

Is your foster parent a bookworm? Maybe a gift card to a local bookstore or a mini reading light that attaches to the book they’re reading would encourage those after-hours moments when they’ve finally turned all the other lights out and the kids are in bed.

Is your foster parent in need of pampering? A gift certificate for a mani/pedi or a DIY pampering kit with a bath scrub, a new loofa, and a candle would encourage solitude and care.

Whatever you do, do something to remind your foster parent that you see them and care about them. They can’t pour from an empty cup, so remind them this month to fill their cup by doing the little things that help them relieve and manage stress. 

For more ideas about ways you might support your foster family this month, or for a tip sheet you might consider sharing with your foster family, check out Project 1.27’s “Nifty Ways To Refresh”: 
https://www.project127.org/uploads/1/1/6/9/116938503/nifty-fifty-ways-to-self-refresh.pdf

By Sharon Bouse-Ferry, ECHOflex Director