When most people think of foster parents, the emphasis is usually on the mother. As society still has an ideology that fostering or adopting a child is something that will involve the mother more than the father.
This is not only untrue, but it is also unfair. The child you may be fostering will need a team effort to help them flourish, and you don’t want to put all of that on to your partner.
So, with that in mind, what are some of the practical ways a foster father can help their foster child? Read on to find out.
Learn
Firstly, you will need to learn as much as you can about them. This may be from their records and from talking to the foster home team. You may need to learn about any issues that they will come with. Or any diagnoses that they may have received.
This will help you and your family to know how best to handle them. And how best to help them to cope with settling into their new home. For more advice on managing to foster a child, check out the FCA for more information.
Offer Them one on one Time
Your foster child has been through a tough ordeal. And while family time is precious, the best way to have a positive influence on them is to offer them one on one Time. This can be doing something around the home, such as homework or watching a film. Or, it can be taking them to the local park, museum or cinema. This will allow the two of you to have the space to bond, which will go a long way to helping them to adjust to their new life.
Support Your Partner
If you are fostering and you have a partner, they will need your help, especially if you have other children.
You and your partner must be on the same page regarding discipline and rules. And that any issues you may have been handled in private. You may also have to cope with your partner being a bit more irritable in those first few weeks. As fostering a new child can be exhausting. So aim to keep communication open between the two of you.
Get Involved
If your partner is cooking a meal in the kitchen with your foster child, get involved. Offer to take them to their after-school activity. Ask your partner if they need a break, and then jump in and help them out.
This will help the foster child learn that you will always have space for them and that you and your partner have their best interests at heart. Also, it showcases that you want to get to know them, which will boost their self-esteem.
Ask For Help
If you and your partner are struggling to cope with your foster child, there is nothing wrong with asking for help. Seek out help from their foster agency, school, or even from your doctor.
Courtesy Of StemSave
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