Fostering can be a difficult transition for your birth children, so it’s important that you openly communicate with them throughout the process. Take time out of each day to talk about any issues that may arise, and make sure they feel like their thoughts and feelings are being heard. Encourage questions, listen sincerely and remain patient. The more open you are with them, the easier this transition will be.
Establish Boundaries and Rules
Having a foster child in the home requires established boundaries and rules for everyone involved—including your birth children. Let them know what behaviours are expected of them when interacting with the foster child, as well as which behaviours will not be tolerated in order to ensure both their safety and that of the foster child. Be sure that they understand that these rules must be followed at all times, no matter what situation arises.
Include Your Birth Children in Decision Making
It’s important for your birth children to feel included in decision making involving the house, such as setting up sleeping arrangements or coming up with ideas for fun activities for everyone to do together. Involving them in these decisions helps give them a sense of ownership over their home environment, thus making them more likely to accept changes associated with fostering.
Provide Support
When fostering comes with its trials—and it often does—your support will be invaluable for both yourself and your birth children during this process. If you see signs of distress from either party (such as anger or sadness), don’t hesitate to provide extra attention and reassurance during this transitional period until things settle down again. If necessary, seek help from your foster agency if there appears an inability on either side(s)to cope adequately with the situation at hand. The team at Satori can help you navigate these challenges and work toward a healthy relationship for everyone.
Prepare for When Placements End
We often hear from birth children that the hardest part of fostering is saying good bye. It’s important your biological children are aware that their foster siblings can move on, either in a planned or unexpected way. Be transparent about this and give them plenty of opportunity to discuss their feelings and process what’s happened.
Fostering can have an impact on everyone in your household—children included! It’s important for new parents considering fostering to remember that communication is key when trying to help their birth children adjust properly during this transition period. Establishing boundaries and rules early on is essential for maintaining order within the household while also allowing ample room for growth within each individual relationship between family members (birth or otherwise). Finally, providing supportive guidance along the way goes a long way towards helping your entire family find success during this journey into fostering!
