Sometimes things can get to be more than you can handle. I know this from my own personal experience. I suffered a great loss and after a year of trying to cope with that loss on my own, I knew that it was time for me to reach out for some help. I was missing work, didn't want to do much of anything and just didn't feel like myself. I started seeing a counselor each week, and it has helped. If you are struggling to recover after a loss, this blog may be able to help you find the help you need to get past it.
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Foster parents help kids to grow up in safe, loving, supportive environments when they can no longer live with their birth families. Foster children can be any age, from a few months old to the age of 18. Becoming a foster parent for teenage children is a selfless way to help adolescents in need. Here are four unique responsibilities that the foster parents of teenage children have:
1. Offer your teen a loving place to go to.
Teenagers are at a unique age when they long to become their own people. In natal families, this can manifest in moodiness and a desire to spend time with friends instead of family members. Foster teens may display the same behaviors, or these behaviors may be more exaggerated due to foster kids' formative experiences. The foster parents of teenage children need the ability to avoid taking sullenness or emotional withdrawal personally. Foster parents must provide adolescents with a safe and loving place to go to when they need shelter from life's storms.
2. Provide boundaries and guidance for teenagers.
Teenagers need love and support, but they also require firm boundaries. Adolescents naturally push boundaries as they figure out how they should behave in the world. Foster kids may be more likely to test boundaries than their peers due to feelings of insecurity regarding their place in your family. Good foster parents are consistent, providing clear boundaries and consequences when those boundaries are broken. Disciplining your foster child with love and gentleness can help them feel secure and safe.
3. Support teens in relation to their birth families.
Social workers strive to reunite families whenever possible. To that end, many children remain in contact with their birth families. Teenagers may have more complex relationships with their birth families than younger kids. Teens may have a strong desire to be reunited with their birth families, or they may resent their birth parents for their separation. Navigating these feelings can be difficult for foster kids and their families. As a foster parent, you will be responsible for supporting your foster teen's relationship with their birth family and helping them manage their emotions.
4. Prepare your teenager for adult life.
Finally, foster parents have a duty to help teenagers transition into adult life. The foster parent-child relationship doesn't have to end when a teenager turns 18. Foster parents can continue to be a source of love and support for kids as they enter the adult world, go to college, or start employment.
Reach out to a fostering agency to learn more about teen foster parenting opportunities.
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