3 Ways to Promote an Inclusive Holiday Season for Foster Children
Holidays are known to be a special time for many families. Parents across the world make plans each year to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, and other holidays with their families and friends. The same can be a discouraging experience for foster parents as, too often, this time of year can be challenging for foster children to celebrate. At RISE Services, Inc. Arizona, our priority is to help you create an inclusive holiday experience for your foster child. Here are three ways you can make this time of year special for the children in your care.
1. Recognize the Difficulty of the Season
Begin by recognizing the difficulties that the holidays may bring for foster children. This special time of year may have been a negative experience for the children under your care. Family gatherings or Hanukkah traditions may bring back unhealthy memories of past holidays or serve as reminders they are not with their biological families. Do your best to listen if they want to share and let them know you are there whenever they need.
2. Ask About Their Holiday Traditions
One of the best ways to show you care about your foster child is to ask about their holiday traditions. They may feel like a genuine part of your family if you include one or two of their traditions in your holiday schedule. Maybe they always attended the holiday parade or loved decorating the Christmas tree. This can be a small yet powerful way to display your love and care for the foster children in your home.
3. Partner with Their Biological Parents
Some foster children are allowed visitations with their biological parents. If this is the case, consider exploring ideas for how you can include their parents in your family’s celebrations. Take your foster child shopping to buy a special gift for mom and dad. If their parents are struggling to purchase gifts, ask our foster care team how you can help. It may be possible for you to buy gifts on their behalf so they can present their son or daughter with a holiday gift.
Thank You for Inviting Foster Children Into Your Home
We want to thank the RISE Arizona foster parents who do their best to celebrate inclusive holidays with their foster children. If you want to know more about foster parenting in Arizona or have questions regarding the licensing process, contact us today.
