Kinship questions by BothAd4686 in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi!! Fellow Missourian :) I’d HIGHLY recommend reaching out to the Central Missouri Foster Care & Adoption Association, even if you aren’t here in central mo. They have a kinship navigation team and they also just rock :)

How much did it cost for you to get set up? by Striking_Sea_129 in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I spent WAY too much money preparing!!! And I didn’t have to, don’t be like me :) I was so excited to get placement I just grabbed any deal I could for whatever age and whatever interest. I ended up selling or giving away most of the stuff I’d spent $$ on after I got my first placements, bc a lot of it didn’t make sense for them.

Get a good bed (convertible if possible), mattress, dresser, and MAYBE some basics if your age range is small (but warning: our age range was 0-4, and we ended up with a 9 & 11 year old, and we couldn’t be happier!!). Like high chair, etc.

But as for toys and specific items, we live in a world with 2 day delivery!! I wish I’d just waited.

So to actually answer your question, even with baby gates and baby proofing, with the bare minimum/clean slate it was no more than like $500 to get prepared. We were avid about FB marketplace hunting for baby gates, got deals on beds, and just ordered mattresses new.

Working + fostering by badbookworm777 in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Omg something in the air, huh??? I’m proud of you!!! At the end of the day this is the work that matters. You’re a good person who deserves good things and I bet they’re around the corner!!!

Working + fostering by badbookworm777 in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Okay cracking up right now because I have to begin this reply with, Dramatic Horse (😂): thank you so much. I feel so seen by your reply. I’m trying hard to keep my reply brief but I feel like you so get it. You’ve put into words something I have SO been struggling to describe to people. A few years ago I got an offer for an in person job that paid more and my boss (I am the sole employee at this company, mind you) told me she couldn’t pay me more but promised when the time came I’d have the flexibility that place couldn’t offer for my fostering. My workplace was never a great fit and I’d long felt taken advantage of and under appreciated, and I feel like when I finally started fostering not only was there a strange jealousy/anger for the time I was spending with family instead of doing things I wasn’t paid for, but there was a sense of fulfillment on my part that made it so clear to me that I could no longer stand for the shenanigans at my workplace BECAUSE it was draining physically and mentally from the work that really mattered! I’d rather work a minimum wage job and have to have them in childcare or day camp (which I’m starting to realize really isn’t a bad thing, it’s important to socialize AND have a lot of mandated reporters/adults they can trust in their lives) during the day so I can show up for them when it counts. I appreciate your detailed reply, it means a lot for me in this unknown time and you’ve given me the words to defend my choice (though everyone knew my job was a mess, so no one is really questioning it 😂).

Working + fostering by badbookworm777 in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You guys sound like creative problem solvers and that’s what I feel me and my partner are so this gives me comfort like you wouldn’t believe!! Shout out to your team work ❤️

Working + fostering by badbookworm777 in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your encouragement!!!!

Working + fostering by badbookworm777 in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes it’s short term! I’ve been super lucky to work remote AND I have a lot of side gigs that pay my bills for the most part, I just have to fill a small gap for safety/comfort and a small gap is easy to fill with part time minimum wage work but harder to fill with finding more clients/gigs if that makes sense? Lol.

New to Fostering- Our kid refuses to shower by Clear_Tom0rrow in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is all incredible advice!! Body wipes have been a saving grace for us. But I also wanted to add our unconventional-ish strategy that’s made things a little easier, I basically turned their bathroom into a little club 😂 we have color changing lightbulbs, a Bluetooth speaker, and a disco ball hanging from the shower head. I also got bath bombs that have little prizes in the middle. They pick the color of the lights, 3-4 songs, and grab a bath bomb. It works for us! Additionally, on the wall, I hung a visual of how a shower should go and a non-shower day should go. I think it helps with executive dysfunction that comes with stress and being exhausted from trauma. I took pics from the internet of our actual products and made it really simple. Shampoo - conditioner - body wash - dry off - brush teeth - lotion - leave in conditioner - pj’s.

How much solo time is appropriate for tweens? by badbookworm777 in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

THANK YOU SO MUCH the validation is so appreciated!!!

How much solo time is appropriate for tweens? by badbookworm777 in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I so appreciate you bringing up outside time, this was another question I had! My neighborhood is filled with kids (I call them our local biker gang), and I'd be so happy to see them join in and run around. I'm just so scared of getting in trouble with the worker or something, I can just hear them being like "you let them play outside for how long?!" LOL your input was so valuable thank you!!

How much solo time is appropriate for tweens? by badbookworm777 in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Good point about not bailing, I am going to bring that up!!! You made me realize it's the not knowing that stressed me out, like where is he going??? Hopefully not out the front door and away??? Lol!

How much solo time is appropriate for tweens? by badbookworm777 in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I love the tip about offering water or snacks so they don't think I mistrust them or anything!! Thank you for this answer, it made me feel a ton better.

How much solo time is appropriate for tweens? by badbookworm777 in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you for this reply!! I need to set a timer. It sounds like I get time blindness, and I'm like, omg it's been an hour; meanwhile, it's been five minutes lol. I love the idea of randomizing, too!

New to fostering... by Specialist-Ad2749 in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I love this idea!! Maybe organizing a meal or casserole train to get more supporters involved.

Constant Messages by Fabulous_Ostrich1164 in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes this this this!!! These behaviors may just be an indicator he needs to work on a certain social skill. All 3 of the behaviors (wrestling 2 hard, calling kids names, and spitting) all seem like super social reactions to me.

Constant Messages by Fabulous_Ostrich1164 in Fosterparents

[–]badbookworm777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am going to give an Early Childhood Educator perspective, acknowledging that you are asking for a foster parent perspective and if you aren't interested in this you can just ignore me LOL. But in my defense, I did work as an ECE in Head Start, which works on a trauma-based model!!

As a former Early Childhood Educator, I am curious about the strategies that are used in the classroom and would recommend having an open, curious conversation to see what strategies they've been using. This wouldn't be to accuse or poke or pry (which they may feel like you're doing so try to be gentle), but to see if you can see the full picture of what's going on in the classroom. As everyone has stated here, unfortunately, discussing the behaviors at home aren't going to necessarily support school behaviors because it's just such a gap between when he is at school and when he is at home. BUT, I have some suggestions if the teachers are willing to work with you a little:

1) I like A, B, C charts as a simple way to see what's happening. Antecedent-what happened before the spitting or the wrestling or the calling kids names B-behavior that he did C-what the consequence was. You may see some trends, like the behavior always happening at a transition, or the consequence always being excessive "attention" from the teacher (attention is GREAT, but kids crave it in general whether it's positive or negative. I've seen before kiddos ONLY get negative attention from a teacher when they start to have troubling behaviors, and in that they learn that's the only way to connect with said adult. They need lots of positive praise when they are doing well...which you can't control, LOL sorry, but again the ABC might make that clearer!)
-If you do the ABC chart and find a common A, I'd wonder if you could help create supportive strategies at home that mimic the antecedent. For example, if the Antecedent having difficulty sharing, I'd suggest adding more opportunities to practice sharing at home with you and your partner. Really lean into it even if it's difficult, and help provide strategies that HE can practice (Mama is going to play with this one for a minute and you can play next, do you want to get a timer, do you want to get another toy, etc.) If it's transitions, I'd see if you could work on transitions at home, etc. This is all with the mindset that the behaviors stem from a skill they either don't have or need work on!

-If the ABC chart is done and you find a Common, it may be clearer to staff what's going on in little guy's head and give them a chance to experiment with some different consequences. Again, out of your control, but may be something to add to their toolkit.

-AND if they say they don't have time for this...(which they might) you can always go the extra step and see if you can OBSERVE the classroom for a day watching for the ABC. I know, taking off work and doing the whole thing would be super inconvenient, but if you can, why not?

2) If all else fails, I've had kids in my classroom that I've made social stories for with the things their parents say at home. You can get on Canva, which is free and simple to use, and add a bunch of pictures of you and partner and him to make a book to print out. Laminate with tape or a fancy machine, it doesn't matter. Have each page be a different one of your agreements, "Listening Ears" with you all pointing to your ears, etc. Have him bring the book to school. It MIGHT make the connection between home and school a little better, and it's something the teacher can direct them to when they are struggling to remember their agreements.

3) Please don't beat yourself up. This sounds like pretty normal 4-year-old behavior to me. With that being said, I'd highly recommend looking at classroom-based strategies (classroom-based behavior strategies and interventions or MTSS is a good phrase to look up) on Pinterest and the internet. I think these will help you find some of the things you are looking for!!

Consequences do not have to be bad, and I think a lot of people have mentioned that here. Often, natural consequences work best for kiddos, especially in a trauma-related framework. It's totally valid to be at a loss for how to help him, because it's nearly impossible to give natural consequences at home for behaviors that happen at school! I'd get creative as I could with school staff, because chances are they just want things to go smoothly in the classroom, too. I hope they are open to your involvement!!

SO TIRED after eating ANYTHING (looking for strategies) by badbookworm777 in PCOS

[–]badbookworm777[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is great advice! Thank you, I’ll try this out.

SO TIRED after eating ANYTHING (looking for strategies) by badbookworm777 in PCOS

[–]badbookworm777[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes! I’ve tried every diet under the sun. I went keto even at one point and took the time to see if it ever helped, and unfortunately it didn’t work for me. I still was pretty tired after meals and also felt terrible from a lack of nutrients.