Foster Care Programs | 2 Ways to Help Encourage Empathy with Your Foster Child

Foster Care Programs (resource programs) | Children in foster care programs (resource programs) have been through a lot over the course of their short lives. They oftentimes don’t know the words to express how they are feeling and choose to show their feelings through behaviors. Helping to teach your foster child about feelings, and the appropriate way to express them is crucial to raising them. Here are 2 ways to help your foster child tap into their feelings:

Picture Books

For younger foster children, and maybe even some older foster children, picture books can be a great resource in learning about feelings. Books not only are a great way to approach the subject with children but the drawings also help to show the child what a feeling may look like outwardly. Reading books with your foster child also provides an opportunity to bond and connect with the added benefit of teaching them about feelings. Ask your child to give examples of when they felt a certain way to help teach them about feelings.

Over Communication

Teaching foster children about feelings can sometimes feel awkward when trying to talk about the subject. Understand that children in foster care programs (resource programs) oftentimes don’t have the same upbringing as a biological child. The lack of bonding with a parent during infancy can greatly hinder the child’s ability to understand feelings and expressions later on in life.

Openly talk with your foster child about how they are feeling and make sure that it is a daily topic of conversation. Talk about your own feelings in order to help teach your child as well. Things that are assumed to be commonplace for other children need to be over-communicated to foster children who are lacking empathy and understanding feelings.

Teaching empathy for children in foster care programs (resource programs) can be one of the hardest things for a new foster parent (Resource family) to understand. Children with healthy attachments learn feelings and empathy through those attachments with parents. Foster care children miss out on healthy parental attachments and oftentimes suffer in showing proper empathy. The qualified staff at Children First Foster Family Agency can also provide suggestions on picture books that will help benefit your family.

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