By: Jamise Kafoure; Counselor The end of each year inevitably marks a significant “shift” in conversations when counseling clients. I often hear fear, ambivalence, depression, anxiety, dread, and angst expressed within our conversations, as these emotions directly...
With the holidays rapidly approaching, I want to take a minute to address navigating them with biological families. I’ll be the first to admit that I *might* not have handled our holiday experiences as well as I would have liked. But, I am hopeful that you can (once...
I know in a previous post I discussed navigating the holidays with biological parents. Now, I’d actually like to put some thoughts down regarding the holidays in terms of the foster kids themselves. This year, being what it is, we might not all have the large family...
So here’s the thing…often people think that kids in foster care cannot respond to love or affection. Many people think “they can’t change” or that their “damage” is permanent. And I am here to tell you that is simply not necessarily true. Kids who have experienced...
Here’s the thing…this answer is going to be a different answer for everyone, but when should you say “no” to a possible placement? There are many, many, many reasons to say yes…and for some of you, “yes” will always be the answer, because you have the capacity...
So…as a foster parent, you will have a number of different people with whom you have contact…or at the very least, you will know about their place in a case. In addition, there are other individuals with whom you will have contact because of the child…not necessarily...
Even though the holidays may look different this year due to COVID-19, they can still be a time for celebration. As you approach holiday table conversations, please remember that 2020 has been an emotionally intense and overwhelming year for many. So, whether your...
I know it seems random to be talking about vacation in November, but it is 2020 and nothing has really been on schedule this year. But seriously, we just got home from a family vacation so this was on my heart and I wanted to share. One thing I want to clarify before...
I haven’t written about foster care misconceptions for a while so let’s explore another common one. There are people (not to suggest you are among them) who believe some kids enter foster care due to their own poor choices and mistakes. No child has ever entered the...
Stress is something that everyone deals with. It can affect your body, behavior, and mood, and can contribute to health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes (mayoclinic.org.) Its effects are wide-ranging and can include sleep...
