Tips on providing support to your foster child this Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day can be an emotionally challenging day for some children, but especially for those in foster care. Foster children may see the day as a reminder of their loss, or feel an overwhelming sense of abandonment and need help understanding their feelings. The team at Unity Foster Care have put together a few tips to help your foster child(ren) cope on Mother’s Day – check it out below!
Understand how Mother’s Day impacts your foster child
First and foremost, we’d recommend having a conversation with your foster child about Mother’s Day. Does the day bring up any negative feelings, or are they disinterested – or even accepting – of what the day entails? Every young person reacts to Mother’s Day differently, so it’s important to talk to them about how they’re feeling before making any decisions.
Acknowledge their feelings
Make sure you let your foster child know it’s okay to feel upset or angry about Mother’s Day. Talking about feelings isn’t always easy for children, so giving them a safe space to speak honestly is important. Whether they’re feeling overwhelmed, excited or indifferent about the day, as their foster carer it’s your job to let them explore these emotions in a way that feels comfortable to them. It’s great they want to open up to you, so be proud!
Be prepared
You may not know the full extent of their relationship (or lack of) with their mother, so you may find the day triggers unknown feelings or emotions for them. Create a box filled with their favourite items; sweets, chocolates, face masks, books etc, and give it to them on the day. You could even take them to their favourite park or the cinema as a treat! It’s a small gesture, but even if it makes them smile for a little while, it’s worth it!
Consider changing the meaning of Mother’s Day
If Mother’s Day is something your foster child struggles with, why not change the meaning of it? Instead of focusing on a day which may upset them, focus on acknowledging the empowering women in their life: whether that be their foster mother, a teacher, a friend or their Support Worker! Ask them to draw a card or write a letter to their chosen person – it will brighten up the recipient’s day, and may help your foster child associate more positive feelings towards Mother’s Day!
Speak to us!
We can offer both you and your foster child the support you need surrounding Mother’s Day, or any other celebration days that a foster child may find triggering. If you’re struggling, please give us a call on 0333 77 22 333 and speak to our team of friendly Support Workers, who can help create an action plan suited to your foster child’s individualised needs!