fosteragogo

Welcome

fosteragogo was created by and  is dedicated to foster / adoptive families.  It is meant to be a rich resource to assist those who lovingly expand their families.    On this site, you will find various resources available throughout your community to assist you in enriching the lives of the children you care for.  The fosteragogo calendar is packed with events, training opportunities and even some freebies offered throughout the community.  Hover over dates or highlighted events to expand on that particular event.  You can also set up e-mail notification of particular events and download the fosteragogo calendar into your own personal calendar. 

Additionally, you will find helpful links and posts.  

Exposing children to a variety of enriching experiences and activities can have a  profound effect on their lives.  And, with so many opportunities available, it would make no sense not to take advantage of all that your area has to offer.  So, don't just sit there... GO!

Happy parenting!

-fosteragogo

Camp to Belong

CAMP TO BELONG, (CTB), an international non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization, has been actively reuniting brothers and sisters placed in separate foster, adoptive or kinship homes through Summer Camp Programs and year round events since 1995. Founded in Las Vegas by Lynn Price, Camp To Belong Summer Camp was created to offer siblings in foster care and other out of home care the opportunity to create lifetime memories while reunited at camp.

This is a wonderful opportunity that is able to reunite brothers and sisters in a safe, neutral, week-long camp environment to create childhood memories together that they would not have otherwise due to living in separate homes.

June 2010 marks the first year that campers will attend camp in Oregon rather than Colorado, where the first camps were held.  This June 27 to July 2, campers will enjoy all that SAlem YMCA Camp Silver Creek at Silver Falls has to offer.  By moving the camp to Oregon, the hope is that more Oregon youth will be able to be served as transportation costs will be greatly reduced.

For more information about Camp to Belong Northwest, please visit: www.ctbnorthwest.org

Spotlight: Car Seat Safety Clinics

As a respite caregiver for a very young foster child, having a safe seat was important.  But, car seats can be very expensive and the foster mother just didn't have the additional resources to purchase a new car seat for my vehicle after purchasing one for herself.  Additionally, I have a VERY small car.  We looked into car seat clinics and were happy to find that they exist almost everywhere.  First, things first:  What is a Car Seat Safety Clinic: 

"Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians and trained volunteers will check for correct installation, damage, recalls, and size and age appropriateness. Each seat takes about 30 minutes to check but the peace of mind will last"

 I wasn't convinced at first, but the technician managed to fit three children's seats into the rear of my car.  Nice, but the best part was that she followed all of the instructions to make sure that they were installed PROPERLY.  The other wonderful thing about these clinics is that some operate on a sliding scale and we were able to get our infant car seat at a considerable discount, based on what we could afford.  Safety is important and is key at these clinics.  I found this to be a valuable resource that anyone who is fostering little ones should look into.  It may not seem like a difficult thing, but I really don't think I would have installed those seats properly and the technician really knew what to look for. 

Foster Parent College

This is just one of those resources that foster parents should know about:

Foster Parent College (FPC) offers affordable research-based training for foster, adoptive, and kinship parents.  Using the World Wide Web, this self-driven online foster parent training is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week

http://www.fosterparentcollege.com/

How We Survived Spring Break

Spring Break, as the name implies, is a time at the beginning of Spring to take a brief pause or break, before continuing on with the rest of life's required activities (school, for example).

My little family and I decided to use Spring Break as a break from school, swim classes and every other scheduled activity we could get away from.  It was great.  It was bliss.  It was a lot of time together... 

Although we love each other and enjoyed the time we spent together, I soon realised that I needed a break from Spring Break.  We all did.  My six year old needed to get away from her three year old sister.  She was starving for some peer interaction, almost as much as I was starving to get some housework done (me...).  My three year old needed more kids as well.

By Friday I ws pretty grateful that I had pre-registered them in day camps for the whole of Friday.  I packed their lunches (a packed lunch is a very cool thing when you're a little kid), packed the oldest's swimsuit, change of clothes, goggles, water bottles, you name it.  They each were given a backpack with the things needed for their adventure day.

I went home and spent the first twenty minutes in a panic over how best to use the time.  Should I lay down and let my pillow consume me right there?  Nap away a whole hour with wild abandon?  What abut the laundry?  No one had socks left! 

Those few hours made me feel like I was five and someone had given me a whole dollar to spend at 7-11!  Well, just like a whole dollar at 7-11, a few hours don't stretch very far when you have things like laundry, groceries, paperwork, appointment scheduling and all of those other things to do.

I opted to break my day into two parts.  Part one was for me.  Part two was for us.  I had been given a gift certificate for a pedicure and decided to use that in the morning and made a list of the things I needed to get done while in the chair.  I had lunch at a place with a playplace, because I still had one little one at home and it gave her an opportunity to play.  After playing and lunch, the little one took a nap and that allowed me to get some work done. 

The thing that made it possible to even put the girls into day camp, was a Nike Play Pass that we were able to get from my girls' social worker.  It is sort of like a gift certificate for active Portland Park and Rec activities.  My girls have used the passes that they have received each quarter for swim classes and other fun stuff. 

I provide respite care for a 19 month old foster child and we have used a play pass to enroll her in swim classes.  Physical activity does wonders for children.  Get them out, get them active.