When our friend or family member is hurting, it’s natural to want to help. And as a foster family support team member, it’s our job to help! After all, we signed up for this AND went through training.
So why is our question, “What do you need?” Often met with, “Nothing, we’re okay.” Or our offers of “How can I help?” met with, “I can’t think of anything right now.” Whenever we welcomed new children into our home, people asked how they could help. I loved and appreciated it, but usually, my brain and body were exhausted, and I couldn’t come up with any ideas for ways people could help! Plus, I often didn’t even have a second to breathe, let alone time to answer a phone call or text. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is skip asking and get to doing! 1. Bring food for the freezer. One day, after we’d brought home a high-energy three-year-old, my friend, Megan, texted me. “I just stopped by your house and left a gallon of frozen soup in your freezer. When we were saying goodbye to a sibling set of four who lived with us for two years, my friend, Lisa, texted me, “I just left some food on your porch! Praying for you all today!” I was so thankful that my friends just brought the food. They didn’t ask and I didn’t have to think about what we liked to eat or didn’t like to eat or what I was going to feed everyone that day. Meal trains and food schedules are great (and needed in the beginning) but sometimes just having an extra meal on the porch or backup food in the freezer helps give tired parents the energy needed to make it to bedtime. 2. Grab items from the store. With naps, caseworker visits, school drop-offs, therapies and all the other things a foster family crams into their day, finding time to run errands isn’t even possible. Sometimes I would get all the children in the car with the intention of checking a few things off my list, only to have a child meltdown, have a diaper blowout, or hurt the other children in the car. When we first welcomed a sibling set of three high-needs children right before Christmas, my neighbor would text a few times a week, “I’m heading to the store, do you need milk? What else do you need?” Because she was my neighbor and she was already going to the store, I didn’t feel like I was bothering her to ask for a few groceries. 3. Offer to help with the other children. After we would bring new children into our homes, friends would ask if we needed any help with childcare. I usually said no because I needed to be home with the new children working on building trust and routine, plus I didn’t want to overwhelm the new kiddos with too many new people and faces in our home. We had other children who were older and still needed rides to their activities every weeknight, and often throwing all the kids in the car and driving to soccer was overwhelming. One time, I had a friend ask, “Can I drive Lily to soccer tomorrow? I’ll be heading that direction anyway and I’m happy to take her.” I was so thankful to be able to stay home for the night with the other children and get everyone bathed and to bed at an earlier hour. 4. Check-in after everyone else has forgotten. In the early days, everyone wants to help! But after the weeks turn into months, the offers wane and new foster parents are left feeling forgotten. I remember receiving a text from a friend every week well into the first year with new kiddos. She had a reminder set on her phone to check-in every week and she would send prayers and Bible verses. Sometimes I would respond with specific prayer requests, and sometimes I’d completely forget to even let her know I read the text. Either way, she never stopped checking in and never stopped sending a weekly prayer. Another time, I remember a friend mailing a card full of gift cards for a few of our family’s favorite restaurants. The new kids had lived with us for almost six months at that point, and she knew we were finally getting settled into our new routine and braving leaving the house more. The card said, “Here are some gift cards to your favorite spots to make memories with the new kids in your home.” The gift was sweet but knowing we hadn’t been forgotten was even sweeter. By Jenny Watson, Director of Communication and Events
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Newlyweds Joe and Amber describe themselves as, just two people following God’s call. Before they married in December 2022, both Joe and Amber were single foster parents. Their wedding day included both traditional vows and welcoming 5 children, all adopted from foster care, all with unique needs and challenging stories, into one big family. And a great dance party! When the couple met, Amber was fostering 3 siblings, Elsa, now 8, Anna, 5 and Olaf 4*, and had filed for adoption. Amber adopted the 3 siblings two days before the wedding. She shared, “Our wedding was also a big adoption party. It was the first time many of my family members saw the children’s faces not obscured. Joe had preciously fostered and then adopted siblings Jackson, now 7 and Heavenlee, 4. They then adopted each other’s children in September 2023. Joe and Amber describe their children as, “resilient, funny, and very much siblings. They fight, protect each other, and have fun together.” When Elsa and Anna see Jackson at school, they love to say, “That’s my brother!” When asked how we can pray for them, Joe and Amber shared, “First, all our kids have experienced significant trauma and some have special needs. Please pray for our children as they navigate that and that God will equip us to meet all their needs. Second, the holidays can be a trigger for our kids. Our older kids know and remember their moms and struggle with them not being present. Pray that God will bring healing and we’ll be able to help them process those big losses.” As you celebrate the holidays, take time to pray for Joe, Amber and their children. The courtship- Joe and Amber met on a Christian dating website. Amber had shared that she was a foster mom to help weed out any potential matches that weren’t interested in parenting. That caught Joe’s attention. When they decided to meet, Joe and Amber knew they needed to put lots of thought into combining their lives and children as all five children have experienced significant loss and trauma. Amber’s three were thrilled she was adopting them the second time she fostered them, but still prayed for a dad. All five children struggle with change. They needed to keep dating on the down-low so the children didn’t experience unnecessary loss or further feelings of abandonment. They initiated the kids by setting up a playdate at a local park, not acknowledging they knew each other. (Elsa is convinced she picked Joe out at the park for Amber!) The kids had fun together and advocated for more park time and then playdates together. Amber’s children adamantly let her know they thought Joe should be their dad and they should go on a date. Joe’s kids loved being with Amber. After Joe proposed and Amber said yes, Amber set up a room at her house for Jackson and Heavenlee to “have” during visits. The couple worked hard to make their marriage a smooth transition for the children. Joe and Amber’s foster care journeys as single parents- Joe first heard about Project 1.27 in 2004, when his pastor, Robert Gelinas, shared the vision of Project 1.27 with the church. Joe and his late wife went through Project 1.27 for training and support. Jackson was placed in their home as an infant, just as they finished the certification process. Not long after Jackson’s adoption, his biological sister, Heavenlee joined the family. After Joe’s wife passed away, he continued fostering Heavenlee, fighting to adopt her as a single dad. Amber’s first introduction to foster care was through friends in middle and high school who were in foster care. Then, when she was about to start her senior year, her parents began fostering two boys (6 and 10) of a sibling group of four. They were their 17th foster home. In college, she was their advocate as they adopted them. She knew foster care was hard, but it was something she wanted to do and help make better. Before fostering her adopted children, Amber fostered about 25 kids, mostly teen girls and sibling groups. Advice for single foster parents- When asked to share advice about being a single foster parent, both Joe and Amber shared, “Yes, you can do it! It’s not easy, but it can done.” Both shared they got push back on being single foster and adoptive parents, but knew they were called. Amber shared, “God called us to care for the widows and orphans. There wasn’t an exception for singles…” For Amber, being a single foster mom, working full-time and serving in the Air Force reserves (she’s still a reservist) meant surrounding herself with an amazing tribe, her support network. Both shared that God will make a way for you. He is faithful! Tips for parenting- If you follow Joe and Amber on social media, you see that this family knows how to have fun! Joe and Amber shared that while that’s true, there’s also a lot of chaos. “It’s a mob mentality sometimes, 5 against 2!” One secret to their success is staying very involved. Joe and Amber recommend a participatory approach to parenting and a high level of routine and organization, especially around transitions like bedtime or getting out the door for school. The parents provide fun opportunities that keep all the kids within their line-of-sight so they can constantly supervise and guide, like their “Friday Family Fun” tradition that includes movie/game nights, dance parties, and park picnic dinners. They’ve also set up their home to maximize that line-of-sight. Joe and Amber give each other breaks and utilize their support system for the occasional date night. Both have worked toward flexibility in their jobs so they can handle the many school meetings, doctor’s appointments, and those moments a child needs focused attention from mom or dad. Most importantly, Joe and Amber rely on God to make a way.
By Shelly Radic, Executive Director *Names have been changed What do these acronyms mean, and why do I need to know them? How can I keep my emotions in check when the kids struggle poorly in school? What is my role, and how can I help? Are you asking any of these questions? Are you curious about what is going on in school in support of your kids and/or battling with your kids? First, let's look at the difference between the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and an Individual Education Program (IEP). ADA is all about accessibility. This Act was implemented in 1990 and is for everyone, everywhere! It is the law. IEPs are all about inclusion for children in school, offering every child a right to learn and grow, considering their individual needs. It is also the law! These are different and work together to support people with different needs and abilities. It is essential to know this difference when discussing disabilities and the needed support in our schools. Now, how about that other acronym in the title, LRE? What does that mean? It stands for Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and is a part of the Bill of Rights for Special Education. There are six parts to this Bill of Rights. Let’s take a look at them! 1. A free appropriate public education (FAPE). All children, regardless of the severity of the disability, must be provided an education appropriate to their unique needs at no cost to the parent(s)/guardian(s). This principle includes the concept of related services, which requires that children receive other services as determined educationally necessary to benefit from special education. These related services may include occupational therapy, physical therapy, orientation and mobility instruction, and other support services for the child. 2. The least restrictive environment (LRE). Children with disabilities are to be educated, to the maximum extent appropriate, with students without disabilities. Placements must be consistent with the student’s educational needs. Each state is required to provide a full continuum of alternate placements. 3. An individualized education program (IEP). This document, developed with the parent(s)/guardian(s), is an individually tailored statement describing an educational plan for each learner with exceptionalities. Included in the IEP are:
4. Procedural due process. The Education Act affords parent(s)/guardian(s) several safeguards pertaining to the child’s education. Parents or guardians have the right:
5. Nondiscriminatory assessment. Prior to placement, a child must be evaluated by a multidisciplinary team in all areas of suspected disability by tests that are not racially, culturally, or linguistically biased. Children are to receive several types of assessments, administered by trained personnel. A single evaluation procedure is not permitted for either planning or placement purposes. 6. Parental participation. I.D.E.A. (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) mandates meaningful parent involvement. This legislation requires that parents participate fully in the decision-making process that affects the child’s education. The best resource for all parents/guardians is https://www.wrightslaw.com. This is a website that will offer all you need to know about the law and the rights of every child. They have a library, blog, newsletters, webinars, training programs, and so much more. Use the tabs at the top for labels of the different topics. Advocacy and/or A-Z Topics will be most helpful as you start to explore and learn. The second best part of this resource is their book! It is called From Emotions to Advocacy by Pam Wright and Peter Wright. The book offers specific guides, templates, questions, and tips for all your educational advocacy needs. WHEW – that is a lot of information! Hopefully it has stirred your mind and heart to learn more. I hope you will find some breathing room and an element of hope in these resources! By Janine Westlund, Family Care Manager October is a time for fall festivals, dressing up in fun costumes, and trick or treating. For some children, Halloween can be overwhelming and sometimes scary; children in foster care are not any different. Children in care have potentially already experienced terrifying, horrific, scary events that have left them somewhat fearful. Bodies remember traumatic events even though the person may not acknowledge the fear. Their hearts race, breathing becomes shallow, and they may spiral into survival mode. It might even bring about an overwhelming sense of dread and panic. All of these things can be a trigger for a child of trauma. Triggers can send children right to survival mode, and once in survival mode, they go into fight, flight, or freeze. We want our children to feel safe and secure to enjoy this holiday with their peers. As you begin to plan your holiday activities, keep these ideas and points in mind.
Discuss Expectations As the day approaches, sit down with your children and discuss any concerns they may have about Halloween. This could be their first time dressing up, or they don’t know what to expect when they are out trick or treating. Help ease any anxiety by discussing with them what to expect on the day and before any events. Make a decision on whether the family will be going door to door, to trunk or treat events, or possibly even staying home and having fun decorating pumpkins and watching a movie. If you are going out, make sure to make a decision on how much candy is too much candy for the night and how long you plan on staying out. Keep Your Child’s Needs In Mind Think about your child’s sensory needs when planning your activities. When determining how long you plan to stay out, keep your child’s sensory needs in mind. Children who have sensory issues may have trouble in dark, loud, or crowded environments. Flashing lights and itchy costumes could also be an unwelcome trigger. If this is true of the child in your home, you may need to avoid certain activities and stimuli for a sensory-friendly Halloween. Let your child know ahead of time how long you are going out for. If your child tires easily or tends to melt down past 8 p.m., it’s best to start early, stay close to home, and try to stick to your normal bedtime routine as much as possible. If you decide to venture further from home, make sure you take breaks and check in with how your child is doing/feeling. Do not wait for a meltdown. Choosing a costume Let them decide what they want to be, but make sure it is weather and age appropriate. You can search for clever, last-minute ideas together or opt for a store-bought costume. Make sure your child is comfortable. Make a candy plan School Halloween parties, trunk-or-treat gatherings, and fall fests can all account for a large amount of candy. Some families use a candy buy-back plan option, with children keeping some candy and then trading the candy for an agreed-upon gift or toy from the parents. Below are ways to donate candy to other organizations with links. https://soldiersangels.org/volunteer/special-campaigns/treats-for-troops/ http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/ https://www.operationshoebox.com/ https://www.rmhc.org/ Click here for a list of upcoming Fall Festivals! By Marilyn Robinson, Family Care Director Families providing foster care are in need of support in many ways. This can be a difficult time of year with weather changes, holidays coming, and family schedules being in full swing. Last time you checked in with the family you are supporting, were they able to tell you what they needed...or even wanted?
During this fall season, when we all might feel overwhelmed or not really know what we need or want, here are a couple of suggestions to support the family fostering kids: Reach out to them. Take the initiative. They might not have time or energy to ask you for help. You can just give help.
Pray. Specifically for each family and family member, by name, daily. Set a reminder with the family’s name and pause during your day to lift them up to our Heavenly Father in prayer.
No matter what you can do for the family, your care, prayers, and interest are giving them support. Share your kindness and compassion as much as possible because we never really know what is going on when we aren’t with them. May we all be given the grace needed each and every day. By Janine Westlund, Family Care Manager Nick Von Stein of Grace Covenant Church in Lakewood refers to himself as an “average pastor.” I’m not kidding—it’s on his business card! I asked Nick why the term “average,” and he responded, “It’s hard to find many famous pastors who get out unscathed. I just want to be average and God be great.”
Recently, I had the opportunity to spend some time chatting with Nick about his time walking alongside vulnerable kids and families at risk and how Grace Covenant will continue to call the church to stand for vulnerable youth this “Stand Sunday” (November 12). I will allow Nick to share his compassion and calling in his own words. Rhonda: How did you start to come alongside youth in foster care? Nick: I was a youth pastor at a church in California. The area was pretty low-income, and many of the kids in the youth group didn’t attend church. We loved these students and always positioned ourselves to reach out to the most vulnerable students. My wife, who is a much better person than me, said we should become foster parents. We couldn’t think of a way to serve that had a bigger, longer-lasting kingdom impact than stepping into foster care. We rented a house we couldn’t afford in the middle of all these kids we were already serving. The first kids who came to us were 14 and 17-year-old sisters, who are now our daughters. Rhonda: How was it stepping into foster care? Nick: When you live and surround yourself with people, you love them. I think that’s true in all spheres of life. We’re so quick to make opinions of all different kinds of people and throw theologies and political ideas at people without first engaging and knowing them! When you know people and love them, you learn to have compassion through proximity. Every time we hear compassion, there is always an action associated with it. You do something when you feel compassion. And compassion happens in proximity. Rhonda: That’s so good. I love the idea of there always being an action associated with compassion. I know some of that action has been walking alongside Project 127. Could you tell me more about that? Nick: When we came to the church, we wanted to see what opportunities were organic to the community. Why are we here? What does our neighborhood need? I realized we had a strong organic foster and adoptive narrative at our church. Last year, our church recognized thirteen foster, adoptive, and kinship families on Stand Sunday. We just wanted to honor the people in our family who were stepping into this. Let’s develop our program. We realized we could use more intentional training in how to serve this community, so we hosted trauma-informed training. We had an incredible trainer, Rhonda, from Project 127, who did a really great job and provided awesome content. Through a series of connections, I was able to learn about FamiliesCare (Project 127’s family preservation program). I love that Project 127 is a local organization with great resources and clear direction. Rhonda: How are you standing for kids in Foster Care and for at-risk families this year on Stand Sunday? Nick: My heart is to be proactive, positive, and forward-thinking. I want the church to be known by what we are FOR. Let’s be FOR the life of a child. If we have a teen mom who needs support, how will we proactively support this teen mom and her child’s life? If there are children who need to be fostered and/or adopted? Are we going to adopt? The Gospel is good news! It’s good news for the church to be FOR kids… FOR teen moms…FOR wrapping around families of origin. This Stand Sunday, we are looking at standing FOR these individuals by having the crisis pregnancy center speak, having a testimony from a former youth in foster care, and having someone from Project 127 come and highlight ways the church can walk alongside kids in foster care or kids who are at risk of being placed in foster care. Rhonda: Nick, your church was such a fun group to train. I think almost the entire church came to the training, asked amazing questions, and was so engaged! When you saw this area of ministry where your church could engage, you took action. How would you encourage or call other churches to action? Nick: Sometimes God stirs up the soil, breaks up the ground, and excavates the terrain of our hearts and lives. We could ignore it, cover it up, or pack that dirt back in. If we move on, that soil will become hardened again. Or we could listen, learn, and obey. If we do, we will realize that God has stirred the soil of our hearts and lives for a reason—for something to be planted, for something to take root in our lives, for something to have a chance to receive life and to grow. God may be stirring the soil of your heart and exposing judgments, doubts, and fears. He may be breaking the ground of your heart with compassion, empathy, and love. He may be excavating criticisms and excuses that you have made for far too long. Maybe your heart is being stirred, broken, and excavated. Will you let the life of one of his precious children be planted there, in your heart, in your life, and in your home? If you do, you will realize that the soil that you once guarded, protected, and packed in has become soft, fertile ground, full of life and love for the other. That the soil of your heart has taken on a new shape, a new rhythm, a new life. You will realize that your heart has begun to beat with the heartbeat of God, and there is a new sense of life coursing through your veins. And you will see new life grow in and through you, in the God-prepared ground of your heart. God has stirred your heart for a reason and purpose. Let Him plant there. Rhonda: Thank you, Nick, for sharing—truly, this is a gift to hear all that God is doing in you and in the life of your church. This November, on Stand Sunday, will you consider Nick’s call to be average to make God great? Reach out to me at [email protected] for more information. And remember, as Nick says, ‘the Gospel is good news for kids and families!’ Stand Sunday has a new name this year- Pure Religion. To hear more about the new name, click here. By Rhonda Denison, Metro Relations and Support Manager As a kid, I attended church two or three times each week. I learned Scripture passages and hymns. But thanks to the life of our church community, I learned something equally important: that God loves me, people love me, and I can offer love, too. Weekly announcements from the pulpit let us know what needed to be done and rallied folks to fill the need with love. I learned that when someone has a baby, a chronic illness, or an infamous California wildfire threatening their home, love isn't just words. It's a meal, a hug, a safe place to evacuate, a loaned car, an invite to a family BBQ, and a hundred other uniquely helpful things.
When I grew up and became a foster mom, I quickly realized that not every child enters life with that expectation of help in times of trouble. Some expect stress upon stress. That lack of community goes beyond a brain-knowledge, but sinks deep into a child's body, telling them that the world isn't safe or friendly. Some biological and foster families I met as a young foster mom didn't even have ONE person, let alone a community, to call on a hard day. I wanted to share the wealth of support I'd grown to expect with this foster parent circle I'd just joined. Seven years into the Neighbor Program, some of our most enthusiastic volunteers come from churches. These volunteers want to extend their social circles to love and include foster and kinship families in crisis. My childhood church friend, Christy Luis, volunteered with another friend to tag-team as Neighbors for a large foster family. "I have enjoyed creating desserts and healthy dinners for the family so much that I almost feel as though the Neighbor Program serves me as much as it serves the foster family. I am partially disabled by chronic pain and can’t volunteer in many capacities, but the Neighbor Program accommodated my situation. It means a lot for me to be able to serve a deserving family, even in such a limited way!" Regan is a member of my church and a recent graduate of the Neighbor program. When we matched her with the H family, we happily realized that Regan's workplace is across the street from their home! She usually brings them a meal every other Thursday (though the commitment is only once a month) and doubles the recipe so they have leftovers or can freeze a meal. The family includes one child with several unique food allergies, so Regan found creative new recipes that avoided the problem foods while giving the family something they hadn't tried and could all enjoy. When the Harms took in an infant on short notice, Regan enjoyed doing a little "baby shopping" and left a care package for the family. She tells us that it feels great to support children in foster care as a Neighbor to the whole family. If you want to share love beyond the walls of your church, please email me at [email protected], and we'll get you connected with a foster or kinship family. By Hope Forti, Neighbor Program Founder and Director In September, we honor kinship caregivers who provide love and safety for a child and preserve important family bonds. We hold you in high regard!
For many years, I thought being a foster parent and a kinship provider were the same because both involved parenting other people’s children. Boy, was I wrong! Recent events have challenged a few of my thoughts. Earlier this summer, I was privileged to provide diapers to a 68-year-old grandma raising her 3-year-old granddaughter. This beautiful soul invited me into her home and began sharing why she chose to step into this awkward and challenging space to care for her beautiful young grandchild, even at her advanced age. For the next half hour, she shared about the life she gave up to care for her grandchild and how she had zero regrets for choosing to prioritize her granddaughter's safety over the simple life she had previously enjoyed. In listening to her story, I realized then that her life changed in an instant. She didn't plan to become a foster parent or undergo a lengthy certification process, slowly preparing for a child to enter her home. She was asked to care for her granddaughter without advanced notice or time for planning or preparation. She chose to parent again because she understood the trauma that was experienced by this child, and the thought of a stranger raising this child broke her heart. She has found so much joy in parenting her grandchild, that she wants to encourage others who are older not to shy away from becoming a kinship provider. In stepping into her role as "mom" rather than "grandma," she gave up her freedom (time and financial) to do as she pleases. She gets weird looks when she states that she is "mom" and finds that navigating the boundaries that kinship requires can be tricky and hard, especially the tension (and beauty) of trying to maintain a relationship with her own child while raising that child's child. In the state of Colorado, there are currently 12,485 grandparents caring for their grandchildren. Kinship caregivers can be relatives, friends, neighbors, or other people with a significant relationship to a child, youth, or family. Placing a child with a kinship caregiver is less traumatic than placing a child with a stranger, so when children or youth cannot remain safely at home, a county or agency will seek out kinship caregivers before moving a child into a foster home. Kinship providers may not have access to the same resources as foster families. If a kinship caregiver chooses to go through the foster care certification process, they will have access to more resources than those who do not. Kinship providers are also tasked with navigating complex family dynamics and relationships. Project 1.27 supports and encourages kinship caregivers by providing diapers, access to foster closets, training, and community. If you are or know a kinship caregiver, here are some tips that can support positive outcomes for children in kinship families-
If only there was a magic pill we could give our kids to get them to open up about what they are feeling. But anyone who has parented a teenager knows that no matter how much we try on our end, their free will (some might say stubbornness) still plays a part in whether they share what’s going on in their lives. Here are a few strategies I’ve gathered from other parents of teens that I’ve found helpful in getting teens in my home to open up (even just a little).
Ask open-ended questions (and yes, even their opinions.) Yes/no questions can start to feel like an interview or, worse, an interrogation. That’s not the vibe we’re going for. Open-ended questions offer space for a young person to take the conversation where they’d like it to go. We need to be okay with them leading sometimes. Bonus if the questions ask for their ideas, opinions, or take on something so you can validate how they see the world is important. Holding a posture of curiosity is always helpful when framing your questions and the tone with which you ask them. Listen with your whole body. If a young person opens up about what they are thinking, or let’s be honest, anything really, it is our cue to listen. If you’re not sure what that looks like, listen for where they fit into the story, the why behind their thinking, and the feelings behind their words. Listening doesn’t mean agreement; it means respect. Giving your full attention, with all of your senses and your body posture, helps to give the message that what they have to say is important. We want our young people to know their voices matter. Side-by-side conversations. Having someone look you in the eye can be more intense, and, therefore, intimidating, than a casual side-by-side conversation that is happening in conjunction with another primary activity. That’s why driving in the car (or even texting) can often feel like a time when kids are more willing to open up. They don’t feel so on the spot and can perhaps relax just enough to give you a little more of what they’re thinking and feeling. It’s a great way to bring up more sensitive topics that you know may already be intensity-packed by the nature of their content. Offer another focus. Since you can’t just drive around the block for hours on end, offering an activity with that side-by-side principle is helpful. This can be chores or something they naturally like to do. Doing dishes, folding laundry, or pulling weeds are all activities you can “help” your teen with that could also offer a focus while you talk. Since we’re both standing here anyway, we might as well talk about this; even better if it’s an activity they already like and actually want to do. Shooting hoops, throwing the frisbee, baking, and coloring can move bodies or stimulate creativity. Everyone relaxes a bit when their hands are busy. Love what they love. Is it the Broncos? Read the sports writers in the Denver Post. Video games? Have them teach you how to play. Whether it’s Harry Styles or the latest fashion styles that they are thinking about, show some interest. And then be ready to pivot to the next thing when they’ve moved on. As kids grow, their interests change, and we want to show we care about who they are today. Maybe you can’t truly love football, but you can at least learn about it for the sake of connection. Be ready when they’re ready. When teenagers are ready to open up, it's time to listen. The family meeting on a Tuesday night may be on your schedule as the designated hour to talk through some things, but we all know teens’ schedules don’t always operate on ours. So that 11:00 p.m. come in your room moment, may be just what you’ve been waiting for. Pay attention, recognize it for the opportunity it is, and give your young person your full attention. They do need you; they just might show it at unexpected moments. You don’t want to let those moments slip by. By Alexendra Kuykendall, Director of National Network and New Development Is “fun” a scary word at your house? For many families, having too much fun means kids with meltdowns, explosive behaviors, and lots of work on self-regulation. With fear and excitement sharing the same neurotransmitters in the brain, “fun” doesn’t always end up being fun for kids and families dealing with trauma.
Here’s a list of activities and tips to help squeeze the last bits of fun out of summer break without the stress! Tips
*More activities can be found at https://gokidpower.org/summer-activities-kids Don’t have too much fun… Have the right amount of Summer fun! Sharon Bouse-Ferry, ECHOflex Director |
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