Christmas is a time for families, so it’s understandable that a fostered child might feel particularly concerned about how it’s going to go. After all, no matter how kind and caring their foster family might be, it’s still going to be hard for them to feel as though they fit in, particularly around their first Christmas with you. This is why it’s crucial to create a great Christmas together. This will show the child you want them to be with you and that you value them as part of your family. Read on to find out just some of the things you can do.
Remember The Family
As much as you might want to try to ensure your foster child fits in with your family Christmas, it’s crucial to remember that they may have a family themselves. Not every foster child has come from an abusive home, and if their parents are able to see them, you need to make time for that to happen. If you’re worried about this, thefca.co.uk will be able to help you.
The best thing to do is to make arrangements well in advance of Christmas itself. In that way, everyone will know what is happening and how it will come together. Perhaps you’ll arrange for two Christmases so your foster child doesn’t miss out on time with you, or maybe you’ll do something special on Christmas Eve and then they have Christmas Day with their own parents. Make a plan and stick to it so they don’t feel as though they were not thought of until the last minute.
Decorate The Tree
It might seem like a small thing, but the Christmas tree is a big symbol of family and togetherness, so make sure that you put the tree up and decorate it together. If this means waiting until you can all be there after school and work, that’s not a problem – work out the right time to do it and book it into the family calendar so that everyone knows exactly when they need to be at home to do it.
You’ll probably have some family decorations that you use every year – perhaps they are ones you’ve had ever since your own children were small, and maybe they even made them for you. If this is the case, why not purchase a few new decorations that can be your foster child’s? In that way, not only can they join in this family tradition with you, but they’ll actually be an important part of it.
Let Them Plan The Menu
Food has always been a vitally important part of the Christmas experience, and therefore it makes sense for you to let your foster child help plan the menu. There might be some foods they don’t like, and they are worried because they’re a traditional part of the Christmas meal (sprouts or turkey, for example). When they have a hand in creating their own menu, these worries can be easily dealt with.
This might be a small gesture to you, but to your child it will mean a lot. It shows you’re involving them in something important, and it means they can tell you something about themselves without worrying. When you think about it, does it really matter who eats what at Christmas? As long as everyone is having fun, that’s what counts, so if they don’t want a traditional meal or they usually have a specific item with their own family, why not make those changes to help them?
