Advice for Respite Care?

[mmbreb]

We are going to be taking in a three year old boy. How do I make him comfortable? It is only going to be for a few days but at his age I am not what I can do to prepare and make sure he is comfortable with us while he is here.

[Msheidiann]

Is he in foster care already?? My best advice is to talk to the current foster parents to get some tips on his specific needs. Or is it emergency foster care? That's a lot harder because they may have just been brought into the system...

[mmbreb]

He is already in foster care. My social worker is going to talk to the foster parents but I want to make sure we are asking the right questions and thinking of everything

[luvsviola]

Make sure to ask what he eats for breakfast, what his favorite foods are, what movies he likes, and his bedtime routine. Ask if he has an notable fears, too. Ask if he is an escape risk. Ask what their discipline plan is for him. Make sure to get his Medicaid card from them too, just in case.

[mmbreb]

Originally Posted by luvsviola Make sure to ask what he eats for breakfast, what his favorite foods are, what movies he likes, and his bedtime routine. Ask if he has an notable fears, too. Ask if he is an escape risk. Ask what their discipline plan is for him. Make sure to get his Medicaid card from them too, just in case.

Thanks mama! Great advice. A lot of this I hadn't even thought of. All these newbie jitters are getting to me and I really don't want to miss anything. I just want this little guy to be as comfortable as possible!

[Mama2ManyBoyz]

The little guys have trouble understanding and almost grieve their foster mom's to some degree. Ok I'm sugar coating that...they feel abandoned...again. Hopefully he will be an older three and will understand that they are coming back.

[Mama2ManyBoyz]

So be his mommy for the week...not just a babysitter and be prepared for it to hurt your heart when he goes. Been there, done that.

[luvsviola]

Oh...ask who his pediatrician is too.

Maybe foster mom could call him a couple of times to assure him that she IS coming back in a couple days, and that she is thinking about him.

[mmbreb]

Originally Posted by Mama2ManyBoyz The little guys have trouble understanding and almost grieve their foster mom's to some degree. Ok I'm sugar coating that...they feel abandoned...again. Hopefully he will be an older three and will understand that they are coming back.

I have no idea why the foster parents are using respite but I feel so bad for this little guy. I can't imagine how my 2.5 year old would handle it but they did say hes been in respite before.

Originally Posted by Mama2ManyBoyz So be his mommy for the week...not just a babysitter and be prepared for it to hurt your heart when he goes. Been there, done that.

Thats a good point (being mommy not babysitter)

Originally Posted by luvsviola Oh...ask who his pediatrician is too. Maybe foster mom could call him a couple of times to assure him that she IS coming back in a couple days, and that she is thinking about him.

I will ask about foster mom giving him a call. Hopefully she will