Adam and I had our 3rd and technically final fostering class last night.
It was so informative and helpful.
First we went over attachment issues kids in foster care face.
It's so important for a child to attach to one single caregiver within the first 4 years of his life.
That's why orphanages were done away with because though babies were getting fed, clothed, and cleaned, they weren't able to attach to a single caregiver and many would actually die.
Attaching lays the blueprint for forming relationships for the rest of a person's life.
Incredible right?
Then we went over disciplining while fostering.
We were given a list of ways not to discipline, including spanking.
I for one was totally fine with this.
Though I think spanking may be a helpful tool in disciplining your own secure, well adapted kids, on foster kids its simply not appropriate.
You never know how often spanking turned into beating in that child's little life.
Instead we were given many other positive tools for disciplining and teaching.
Considering we'll be taking in mainly babies and very small children, I doubt that we'll have a huge issue here.
Lastly we discussed the effects of care giving on the family.
Our instructor was completely honest in saying that this has the potential to be a very stressful journey.
It's important to communicate with your partner about everything that's happening, to make peace with the birth parents, to not try to control things that are outside of our control (i.e. judges, DCS, birth parents,....)
It was an encouraging, informative class.
Our next steps seem to include starting our homestudy (includes a huge in-depth packet of questions we have to answer about ourselves and a number of home inspections) and taking a class in CPR/ first aid.
All this can easily start to become overwhelming.
It helps me to just take it all a step at a time.
It's also incredibly encouraging knowing that this is the direction God wants us to go.
If it's what He wants, it will happen.
If there is a certain child He wants us to love, that child will be here when it's time.
It was so informative and helpful.
First we went over attachment issues kids in foster care face.
It's so important for a child to attach to one single caregiver within the first 4 years of his life.
That's why orphanages were done away with because though babies were getting fed, clothed, and cleaned, they weren't able to attach to a single caregiver and many would actually die.
Attaching lays the blueprint for forming relationships for the rest of a person's life.
Incredible right?
Then we went over disciplining while fostering.
We were given a list of ways not to discipline, including spanking.
I for one was totally fine with this.
Though I think spanking may be a helpful tool in disciplining your own secure, well adapted kids, on foster kids its simply not appropriate.
You never know how often spanking turned into beating in that child's little life.
Instead we were given many other positive tools for disciplining and teaching.
Considering we'll be taking in mainly babies and very small children, I doubt that we'll have a huge issue here.
Lastly we discussed the effects of care giving on the family.
Our instructor was completely honest in saying that this has the potential to be a very stressful journey.
It's important to communicate with your partner about everything that's happening, to make peace with the birth parents, to not try to control things that are outside of our control (i.e. judges, DCS, birth parents,....)
It was an encouraging, informative class.
Our next steps seem to include starting our homestudy (includes a huge in-depth packet of questions we have to answer about ourselves and a number of home inspections) and taking a class in CPR/ first aid.
All this can easily start to become overwhelming.
It helps me to just take it all a step at a time.
It's also incredibly encouraging knowing that this is the direction God wants us to go.
If it's what He wants, it will happen.
If there is a certain child He wants us to love, that child will be here when it's time.
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