Tips for Family Springtime Learning

Spring is a season of renewal, growth, and fresh starts. It is the perfect time for foster parents to strengthen their bonds with their foster children and introduce new routines and activities that can help everyone in the household thrive. Here are some thoughtful tips to help foster parents make the most of this vibrant season.

1. Engage in Outdoor Activities

With the weather warming up, it’s an excellent opportunity to encourage children to spend more time outside. Activities like gardening can teach them about responsibility and the cycle of life and provide a calming and bonding experience.

2. Spring Cleaning with a Purpose

Spring cleaning is a tradition in many homes, and it’s a great way to teach foster children about organization, responsibility, and the satisfaction of a job well done.

3. Establish New Routines

With the changing season, it’s an ideal time to look at your family routines and see what might need adjusting. Longer daylight hours offer more flexibility in the evening for activities, homework, or relaxation. Please ensure you’re allocating enough time for outdoor play, which is crucial for children’s physical and mental health.

4. Embrace Seasonal Learning

Spring provides numerous learning opportunities that can be both fun and educational. Consider bird watching, learning about different types of flowers, or starting a small science project related to weather patterns.

5. Encourage Open Communication

With the season symbolizing new beginnings, take the opportunity to foster open communication with your foster child. Please encourage them to express their feelings about their situation, any challenges they face at school or with friends, and what they hope to achieve in the coming months. Active listening is key; it validates their feelings and provides the support they need to feel secure and understood.

Spring is a season of hope and growth, and by following these tips, foster parents can provide an environment that nurtures both. Every child’s needs and preferences are unique, so it’s important to adapt these suggestions to fit what works best for your foster child and family. Enjoy this beautiful season together!

Patience Dudley has been a foster parent in Oklahoma since 2018. She consistently accepts placements into her home, including sibling sets, to keep them all together. Patience has been able to balance owning and operating an in-home daycare and working for Tulsa Public Schools while not missing a beat with caring for her foster children.

She continues to identify all of their needs and serves as a great advocate for children in her home to receive the services they need. She meets with multiple workers in the home monthly, constantly communicating with them and providing detailed documentation when necessary. Patience ensures the children make it to all of their appointments and works with them at home as well to further their progress. She is involved in their schooling, meets with teachers, helps with homework, and constantly encourages them. Patience takes the time to find out what the children’s interests are and ensures they are involved in activities and sports that reflect those interests.

She is always willing to bridge with biological family members and assist the children with maintaining connections to their culture. Patience has said that she has space in her home, and she has shown the capability to provide a safe and loving home for children. Her name describes her wonderfully, as she consistently demonstrates patience, love, and acceptance with the children in her care. The children in her care have expressed how great she is and know they are loved by her as well.

Recruitment Corner

Our Each One Reach One campaign to recruit new foster parents is still going strong! We are now in Stage 3 which goes through the end of June and boasts the grand prize of $5,000! We still have our monthly prizes of $300, $200, and $100 respectively. Let’s continue to work together to help children and families!

This month in Kansas, our recruiters will join Coffee Convos in unison with the United Health program. Every other Tuesday, different communities throughout the state host breakfast and conversation about the needs in their area. This is an outstanding partnership and a promising way to build relationships as our recruiters share about the need for foster homes in each town around Kansas. There will also be a community baby shower hosted by our Kansas recruiters toward the end of April. Keep an eye open for more details on TFI Village Facebook.

In Texas, our recruiter has an agency fair in Abilene on April 15. On April 16, she will visit schools around Wichita Falls. A few days later, on April 19, she will speak at FOCUS, a community health provider networking group. On Saturday, April 20, she will speak at Party for Prevention.

In the coming days, our recruiters will contact you by phone and text to confirm details about your registration for Day at the K. We are planning the biggest and best Day at the K yet, and we look forward to seeing you there on May 4!