News & Library
Keep up with the latest news about Firefly Children and Family Alliance, from recent announcements to new programs and services
CONVERSATION TIPS FOR THE HOLIDAY TABLE
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 family celebrations take place in person or virtually, it’s quite possible that divisive topics are on people’s minds. Emotionally charged discussions often make the atmosphere tense and can cause rifts with those we’re close to.
Kris’ Corner – Vacations with your foster children
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...
Kris’ Corner – Misconceptions about older youth in foster care
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...
MANAGING STRESS
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 problems, headache, fatigue, irritability, muscle tension, and upset stomach, among many others health issues.
Most of us are aware of the many unhealthy ways of coping with stress, but even some seemingly benign methods of relaxing, like watching tv, playing video games, or surfing the internet, can increase your stress over time.
KEEPING POLITICS IN PERSPECTIVE – MINIMIZING STRESS AROUND THE ELECTIONS
This year has been an emotionally intense, sometimes scary, and often overwhelming experience for many of us. While the reasons for this are plenty, we can add politics to the list. Being politically aware, engaged, and paying attention to the media are of top priority for a large part of the United States and some even see being politically active as their moral imperative. But, when does it all become too much for us to handle?
Kris’ Corner – Should Siblings Always Be Placed Together?
Should Siblings Always Be Placed Together? Well, the answer to this question is a definitive “maybe…it depends”…because there are a variety of circumstances that help determine if siblings should/could be placed together in a home. Unfortunately, it comes down to...
Kris’ Corner – The Importance of Respite
As I’ve mentioned previously, we are a respite foster home…this means that we provide respite (or a break) to homes placed with a longer-term placement. We know that full-time foster care can be exhausting, and sometimes foster parents simply need a break. And that’s...
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS FOR DEPRESSION
Depression takes its toll on all aspects of life, including the ability to perform well on the job. The disease can affect sleep, interpersonal communications, concentration, and physical health as well. Although many people with depression are able to continue working, severe depression may stop you from earning a gainful living or from holding a job at all. If this is true for you, then you may be able to qualify for benefits through the Social Security Administration (SSA).
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO CREATE CAMPFIRE MEMORIES
Creating family memories doesn’t need to be complicated. Imagine your family snuggled around a cracking campfire, laughing at your kid’s silly story with the lingering taste of charred marshmallow fluff on your tongue. If a backyard campfire sounds fun and doable to you, we want to help make it happen!
Kris’ Corner – You should never disrupt a placement, Part Two
As I mentioned in Part 1 of this “two part series”, we ended up disrupting two placements. And since this is clearly NOT what should happen, I want to discuss some ways I believe that at least one of these disruptions could have been avoided. Let me begin by saying...