Do you love being a foster parent, and want to add another member to your family? Opening your home to a teenager could be a great choice! There are many benefits to raising a teen. Contrary to popular belief, teens want a loving family, stability and guidance just like any child would. Trauma-affected teens have an even stronger desire to have a connection to a parental figure.
Did you know that teens who do not have a caring adult in their lives often suffer from suicide ideation, depression, and lack a positive self-identity? According to a recent study, teens without positive role models often find it difficult to find employment and suffer from a variety of mental health challenges.
If you have the heart to change a young person’s life, here are some reasons to consider fostering a teen:
- Teens Are More Independent: Unlike raising infants or small children, teenagers can dress themselves, catch the bus to school on their own, wash their own clothes and help with chores around the house.
- Teens Can Teach You New Things: Teenagers often know the latest tech gadgets, hairstyles and fashions. Since they attend school, they can teach you about the things they’ve learned and give you a fresh perspective on a variety of topics.
- Raising Teens Can Be Fun! Teens can be great company when they get to know you and feel safe. When they feel like they are a part of a family, and are loved unconditionally, they will often participate in family game night, attend events with you and even plan family outings.
- Create Lasting Bonds: As teens transition to adulthood, many stay in touch with their foster parents, and even visit them. You can create a unique bond with them that lasts a lifetime. Since they are closer to adulthood than smaller children, they can put your teachings and the skills you taught them directly into practice. You may see the impact you’ve made on their lives and the share in their successes.
- You Can Make a Difference by Sharing Your Life Experiences: Teens can create an emotional bond with people they feel understand them. When you discuss some of your life experiences, especially those that they can relate to, they can learn from some of your past actions and make wiser choices. Sharing some of your story can truly help them.
- You Can Help a Teen Build A Strong Foundation: You can help a teen transition into a successful adult by teaching them life skills, helping them with their college endeavors, and giving them advice about relationships, friendships and employment. Your influence in a teen’s life can help them realize their full potential and create a new, successful life.
If you are considering fostering a teen in need of unconditional love and support, contact Trinity Youth Services at 888.346.9645 for more information.
Florence Edwards, Foster Care Marketing Specialist
Florence has a strong commitment to helping foster youth and their families thrive and live successful lives. A former foster youth, Florence obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Communications from California State University, San Bernardino, and is a certified Holistic Life Coach, motivational writer, self-help author and celebrity interviewer. Beyond the Trinity Youth Services blog, Florence’s articles can be found in numerous platforms including Foster Focus Magazine, Heart & Soul Magazine, BET Centric and Huffington Post. A passionate advocate for the LGBTQ community, Florence continues to educate, support and mentor foster youth throughout Southern California.
Summer can be an exciting time for kids, but if you’re like most parents, you worry about how you’re going to keep your child active and happy. There are many free or low-cost activities you can do with your kids that are fun and educational. Here are some great activities you can do with your child that will also help you save money.
1. Visit Another Country Without Leaving Home
Use Wikipedia to teach your children about the cultures of other countries and try adopting some of their customs or meals for one day. Here are some additional tips you may find helpful.
2. Visit Your Local Public Library
Libraries in your area may offer summer reading programs for kids. Click this link to learn additional information for San Bernardino County. Click here for LA County, and click here to find out more information for Riverside County.
3. Create a Reading Challenge
Did you know that kids lose approximately two months of reading skills during the summer? To keep your child’s reading skills sharp, encourage your children to read by creating a summer reading list of books of their choice, then create a reward system when they read a certain number of books. You can also check out Scholastic’s website. They have free reading challenges where kids can win virtual prizes. Click this link for further information.
4. Attend Free Workshops
Some stores in your area may offer free classes and workshops for kids. Home Depot may have free workshops for kids. Click this link for more information.
5. Visit a Local Museum
Some museums may offer free tickets for kids. Chino Youth Museum is an interactive, hands-on museum. Admission is free on the first Friday of every month. Click this link for more information.
6. Give Back to Your Community
One way to help increase your child’s confidence, social skills and compassion for others is by showing them the importance of giving back. There are many volunteer opportunities in the Inland Empire where kids and teens can donate their time to help the less fortunate. ieVolunteer is a program of Inland Empire United Way. Click here to discover more information on how your child can be involved.
To find out more exciting summer tips that will create more fun for the entire family, be sure to read next month’s newsletter!
Florence Edwards, Foster Care Marketing Specialist
Florence has a strong commitment to helping foster youth and their families thrive and live successful lives. A former foster youth, Florence obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Communications from California State University, San Bernardino, and is a certified Holistic Life Coach, motivational writer, self-help author and celebrity interviewer. Beyond the Trinity Youth Services blog, Florence’s articles can be found in numerous platforms including Foster Focus Magazine, Heart & Soul Magazine, BET Centric and Huffington Post. A passionate advocate for the LGBTQ community, Florence continues to educate, support and mentor foster youth throughout Southern California.
One of your roles as a foster parent is to help your foster child maintain good health. One of the best ways to do that is to make sure your child eats a healthy diet, which isn’t always easy. If your child is used to eating a diet that consists of hot dogs, fries and soda, there will be resistance to eating healthier foods. Even though your child may not be excited about eating healthier, there are many benefits to adding health foods to your diet.
Eating healthy food is not only important to weight management, but to emotional and mental health. A study published in 2013, concluded that a diet high in unhealthy junk food and low in nutrient-rich food was linked to behavioral and emotional problems, including anxiety and depression in children. To help your child transition to healthier meals, try doing the following:
1. Slowly Introduce Healthy Food
If your child is reluctant to eating healthy food, try adding a small amount of healthy food to their plate during dinner. The goal is to present a healthy alternative to the unhealthy foods that they may crave. If your child is very resistant to change, you can try substituting junk food with a healthier, tastier alternative. For example, if your child loves to eat ice cream, try substituting it for almond milk popsicles. If your child loves French fries, try seasoned pepper sticks, or other healthier alternatives.
2. Cook Together
Studies show that cooking meals with children can help build creativity, math skills, and communication skills, but it can also help the child to learn what healthy food is and how to prepare it. You can prepare a menu each week, ask your child to choose healthy food options, and cook delicious, healthy meals together.
3. Be a Role Model
Many parents want their children to eat healthy, but often eat fast food and sugary snacks. If you want your child to make healthy choices, make eating healthier foods a priority. Start taking healthy snacks such as apples, oranges, or other fruits with you during the day. Get rid of junk food in your cabinets and refrigerator. Create flavorful food that is enjoyable, yet healthy. Your child may not change their food preferences over night, but your food choices can have a powerful impact on them that will help them create better choices.
Florence Edwards, Foster Care Marketing Specialist
Florence has a strong commitment to helping foster youth and their families thrive and live successful lives. A former foster youth, Florence obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Communications from California State University, San Bernardino, and is a certified Holistic Life Coach, motivational writer, self-help author and celebrity interviewer. Beyond the Trinity Youth Services blog, Florence’s articles can be found in numerous platforms including Foster Focus Magazine, Heart & Soul Magazine, BET Centric and Huffington Post. A passionate advocate for the LGBTQ community, Florence continues to educate, support and mentor foster youth throughout Southern California. Email: fedwards@trinityys.org | Phone: (888) 346-9645
Trauma-affected children, who have been removed from their families, often struggle with feelings of inadequacy and can suffer from low self-esteem. Self-esteem has to do with how someone perceives themselves. If a child believes that they are unworthy, damaged, or unwanted, he or she is more susceptible to forming addictions, engaging in unhealthy behaviors and succumbing to peer pressure. According to a recent article from Simply Psychology, children with low self-esteem frequently engage in bullying, quitting, cheating and avoiding.
Here are some common signs that your child may be suffering from low self-esteem:
- They are critical of themselves
- They focus on their perceived failures
- They use negative language to describe themselves
- They are hesitant to try new things
- They consistently withdraw from their peers
One of the biggest indicators of low self-esteem is when children constantly compare themselves to other children, and often feel like they fall short. To help enhance your child’s self-esteem, you must take an active role in their lives and show them that your love for them is unconditional. Here are a few tips you can use to help your child increase their self-esteem:
- Help your child feel accepted into your family: For many foster children, the feeling of belonging can help them feel wanted and valuable. Creating a safe, nurturing environment where your child feels accepted is especially important because many foster children have reported feeling like outsiders. Treat your foster child with respect and love and include them in family outings. Also, create a space in your home that’s just for them. Hang up pictures of them and get their input about what activities they’d enjoy.
- Try a self-esteem boosting exercise: Have your child state/write things they like about themselves every night before bed or in the morning before school. This activity will help them begin to adopt more positive thoughts about themselves over time, and can reap huge rewards that will last them a lifetime.
- Model healthy self-esteem: Kids often mirror the adults around them. Saying positive words about yourself, staying calm when you make a mistake, having healthy expectations of yourself, and practicing patience and kindness with yourself during stressful times can have a tremendous impact on children.
To learn more about Trinity Youth Services’ programs and support for resource families, call 909.825.5588 or email info@trinityys.org.
Florence Edwards, Foster Care Marketing Specialist
Florence has a strong commitment to helping foster youth and their families thrive and live successful lives. A former foster youth, Florence obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Communications from California State University, San Bernardino, and is a certified Holistic Life Coach, motivational writer, self-help author and celebrity interviewer. Beyond the Trinity Youth Services blog, Florence’s articles can be found in numerous platforms including Foster Focus Magazine, Heart & Soul Magazine, BET Centric and Huffington Post. A passionate advocate for the LGBTQ community, Florence continues to educate, support and mentor foster youth throughout Southern California. Email: fedwards@trinityys.org | Phone: (888) 346-9645
Being a foster parent is something that comes naturally to Waridi Heard, a resource parent at Trinity Youth Services. After raising her own children, Waridi felt it was her calling to help boys in crisis live happy and successful lives. Currently fostering three boys, Waridi’s mission is to help traumatized boys learn the value of self-love, compassion and respect.
Q: What is the most rewarding thing about being a foster parent?
A: Seeing a child transform before my very eyes. Seeing young men have self-respect, the ability to respect others and be able to receive and give love back. It’s a joy seeing their chivalrous behaviors and teaching them how to be of service.
Q: How did becoming a foster parent change your life for the better?
A: I worked alongside of my mom. She had a group home in 1990 and had it for about ten years. We helped care for medically fragile children, and I saw the need. I also saw that you could treat the children like your own child. I believe that God placed it in my heart. Our young men are suffering. I want to give boys the opportunity to live and do so more abundantly.
Q: Why was becoming a foster parent important to you?
A: I realized that it was my purpose. Giving back to children is where my gift is. It has opened up the parameters for me to see them grow up, move on to have an enjoyable life and be able to demonstrate love. I feel joy watching them go from being insecure and scared to feeling safe, secure and stable.
Q: What would you like to tell other people who may be thinking about foster parenting but are unsure?
A: Be the best foster parent you can be and look at them like they are your own children. Provide unconditional love to them. Practice patience and acceptance. You may take a couple of steps forward and one step back, but it is ok.
Q: What is your secret to being a successful foster parent?
A: Providing unconditional love, safety, security, stability and consistency.
Q: What is one myth about foster parenting that you once believed?
A: Some people feel that foster children are a lost cause, but they aren’t. They desire to be part of a family and desire to be loved. Being a consistent, loving parent: change just happens. They come in broken, but it’s a blessing and joy that I can see miracles right before my eyes. I really couldn’t do it without Ms. Laura [Foster Care Director] and Trinity’s support and direction. This is a team effort.
Stay tuned for more exciting parenting tips, inspiring stories and supportive resources! For more information, email info@trinityys.org or call 800.964.9811.
Florence Edwards, Foster Care Marketing Specialist
Florence has a strong commitment to helping foster youth and their families thrive and live successful lives. A former foster youth, Florence obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Communications from California State University, San Bernardino, and is a certified Holistic Life Coach, motivational writer, self-help author and celebrity interviewer. Beyond the Trinity Youth Services blog, Florence’s articles can be found in numerous platforms including Foster Focus Magazine, Heart & Soul Magazine, BET Centric and Huffington Post. A passionate advocate for the LGBTQ community, Florence continues to educate, support and mentor foster youth throughout Southern California. Email: fedwards@trinityys.org | Phone: (888) 346-9645
