The Characteristics Of A Good Foster Parent

The children who are separated from their parents and need mature guidance and care are placed into foster care. Foster care simply means to bring up children who are unable to get love and care from their parents. When non-biological parents bring up a child, the process is known as fostering and the parents are called foster parents. This job is not at all easy. Especially, when the child is not biologically related to the parents. The reason for this drift can be explained by the biological differences between the parents and the children. It takes a lot of courage and persistence to raise a child when they don’t biologically belong to you. It becomes even harder when the children are special. In this article, we will briefly have a look at some of the characteristics that a foster parent must have.

1. Loving And Caring

These children need special care and attention. They have been through a lot already. They need someone who would care for them and love them unconditionally. Foster parents are tasked with this responsibility. With love and care, a foster parent can bring about a lot of difference in these children and help them better. Receiving the love and care when it is unlikely to, can feel like breaking of dawn after the darkest of nights. Whenever the needs of children are concerned, it is the care that they need the most. And don’t forget the love. With the appropriate approach, the lives of these children can be molded for a better future.

2. High Spirited

After they’ve been through rough times, foster children may sulk. It is the foster parent’s responsibility to raise their spirits. According to Lisa Witter from PerpetualFostering.co.uk, the best foster parents are patient, enthusiastic, and spirited. Many psychiatrists believe that changing the mood around someone who is low, can help boost them up. As a foster parent, cheering up these kids’ lives is a moral responsibility. In order to raise someone’s spirits, one needs to be self-motivated.  

3. Understanding

Often, foster children have behavioral issues. They may reflect multiple personalities or develop social anxiety disorders. It is the foster parents’ ethical responsibility to respond accordingly. Good foster parents are understanding. They listen to their children and talk about the problems they are facing in their day to day life. Experienced foster parents can sense the problems and issues that a child may face. This understanding attitude not only helps in bringing up the child but also helps to strengthen their ties.

4. Flexibility

It is a tough job. Parenting demands attention all the time. Foster parents can be tasked with more than one child and no two children are the same, they need to be flexible with their attitude. The best of the best in the profession can adjust to almost every child and help them cope up with the turmoil in their lives. A flexible approach to their problems and issues is definitely required. Especially when the fostered is an infant or too young to understand the practicality of the situation. They need the most care and it could be any hour of the day.

5. Witty Nature

Being witty does not mean being sarcastic. Its all about keeping the atmosphere as bright as possible. Psychologically speaking, witty people usually take less time to bond with others. That is exactly what foster parents need. They need to bond with the children as quickly as possible. We all understand how difficult it could become when it comes to bonding with children. Parents’ witty perspective does not only help bond them with children but also helps the children cope up with their forlorn state.

6. Wise

A wise soul can sense the problem, analyze its cause and offer possible solutions to it. Similarly, that’s what foster parents are supposed to help children with. Wisdom can only be acquired with experience. It is a virtue that isn’t innate. Young individuals or couples who have just started as a foster parent will gain it in time. Others, that have been doing it for years, have a cognizant experience of life. They tend to be the mentors for their children through the rough phases of life. Eventually, enabling the children to lead a happy life like the rest of us. Like they are meant to live their lives.

In a nutshell, a foster parent needs to cater to each and every need of a child. They need to be emotionally, mentally, physically, socially and financially healthy if they are to foster their children to be good human beings.