Since 1992
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LEWISTON — KidsPeace is encouraging those who have considered foster parenting to look into caring for a teenager.
KidsPeace is a therapeutic foster care agency offering support to its foster parents with staff that provides individualized treatment and oversight. The organization invites prospective parents to call and ask questions, share their curiosity, and even talk about fears they may have about fostering.
The reality is that teens who need foster care are filling residential programs or remaining in unstable home environments because of the lack of homes willing to take them in.
Bringing a teen into a home may seem frightening. They will have a bad attitude at times and even make disrespectful comments. Teens need someone to teach them appropriate ways to manage their emotions and effectively communicate with adults. Kids in care have had a rough start in life. They have experienced disappointment, are full of anger, and suffer from a world of hurt. They have not been taught how to act appropriately and be responsible for their actions.
Teens in care experience typical challenges of adolescent development. They are quick to react, likely to lose their temper, and eager to find fault in themselves — in other words, like any typical teen. Kids in care are often behaviorally challenged and were never taught how to cope with life’s stressors. A teen needs a role model as well as opportunities to learn and grow from their positive interactions with adults.
Teens in care want to be part of a family showing unconditional love; they do not want to be put down whenever they make a mistake. They want to feel cared about and important to their family. Being recognized for their accomplishments, no matter how small, builds self-esteem. They need constant encouragement they can handle challenges and not give up when things get hard. Being a foster parent means looking for every opportunity to make life a teachable moment. When a teen makes a mistake, foster parents can talk to them about their choices and the outcome. Teens can process their decisions, and foster parents can offer insight as to how or why things went wrong, offering alternatives and better choices they can use next time to promote success. Helping someone feel confident in themselves can be extremely rewarding.
KidsPeace encourages exploring the option of fostering a teen needing support, guidance, structure and a chance at a better life. Some teens long for a place they can feel safe and cared for — even by strangers — in a new town, in a new environment. Sometimes, that new setting is all they need, getting away from the chaos they have been living through and offered a chance to flourish and feel valued.
To learn more about fostering a teen, visit FosterCare.com.
