Meeting foster family soon - top tips, please

[Italiangreyhound]

Yes, I know my experience will be different to yours but want to get some ideas, please. Meeting foster family soon - top tips, please.

We are preparing a massive list if questions (at least 30) which we will have ready but let them talk and just fill in answers as they tell us stuff then ask only those items not asked.

So far have got things like favourite food/colour/toy/song/TV programmes
Things they are scared of
Bedtime routine
Bath time routine
Going swimming - what they like and do not like
Walking together, staying close or running off
Bedroom/what they will bring
Shy with new people
Weight and Height
Etc

Top tips, pm me if you want to say something personal/private.

A MILLION thanks.

Thanks Families that's great.

Sorry, FaceTime/skype is video calling. We use it as an addition to face to face intros, watching the adopters on the iPad is something the children enjoy, and during the early days at the adoptive parents, we sometimes read a story to them to help transition. My children love the fact that we both have the same books, and they can turn the pages the same time as their new parents who are 'on the telly'. It's not compulsory though!

Really Italian, you are a bit of a Luddite!!!

Ask your DD about it

Kristina my DD has no idea what it is either. We are obviously a pair of Ludites! (What's a Ludite??)

I don't now, Italian, you are obviously a lost cause

Luddites opposed the use of modern technology ( gross over simplification I know for any historians reading ) .

FaceTime allows people with apple products ( like an iPhone or iPad ) to video chat over wifi ( so it's free like Skype ) . It's easier to use because you can move your phone about, not like the web cam attached to the top of your PC like Skype.

So you can show a child the pictures in a book while they can hear you reading it. Or someone can show you reading it . As long as your wifi signal is ok, you can move about the house while using it .

If you havenot heard of iPhone, iPad or Apple , you need to google them. If you can find someone to help you use google

< wonders how Italian accesses mumsnet >

< imagines someone printing off the adoption threads for her, then Italian writing her posts on the bottom for someone else to type in >

Kristina

ha ha

< imagines someone printing off the adoption threads for her, then Italian writing her posts on the bottom for someone else to type in

.... you have hit the nail on the head!

(we are too poor for apple have a crappy little android phone!)

www.geek.com/android/the-5-best-alternatives-to-facetime-for-android-1553276/

Kristina are you trying to drag me kicking and screaming into the 21st Century!

You could always make a DVD of a bedtime story instead, but not as good as Skype/ FaceTime as it's not interactive. I love it when adopters have a smartphone as I can so easily text/ send photos

Is this for before intros start?

That would probably be dependent on each case. I do it once intros have started as we don't have any interaction between adopters and children before ratification, but different authorities have different rules.

But I do send photos of children once matching panel has happened

The foster care we met is fantastic, superb, lovely!!!!

So very grateful and humbled.

Didn't get to as my gazillion questions!!! More time when we get to introductions.

That's great news Italian. Hope everything continues to go smoothly

And happy Easter -He is risen !

He is risen indeed Kristina.

Glad it went well

Please keep us updated, Italian

DD and I were also blessed with fantastic foster carers. Makes such a difference. How long to panel?

Not long, May!

Thanks for your kind words.

I have enjoyed this thread so much, made loads of notes, and had a good old cackle at the attempt to lure Italian into the wicked world of Skype video chat/FaceTime!

Just bumping this now as there are at least three sets of people on here starting intros in the next ten days (including me )

Polkadotpatty thanks. Looking back my best advice would be - just try to get along with them. They have so much knowledge about your little one so be friends and enjoy their company while focusing on your little one. Maybe for others it is better to keep it businesslike, but we just liked ours and it just became a friendship. We texted a lot and I still text them several times a week and about once a week with a photo and once a week with news etc.

I've nothing to add to this wonderful thread, just wanted to add my warmest best wishes to you and your DD patty. I hope your new family is everything you have hoped for . You have learned a lot about love and loss in your life and I know you will be a wonderful mum

I would give you a big >> but it's not net mums and we are well hard here on the adoption threads

Aw, Kristina, I'm new enough to still be up for a hug, just don't tell anyone. Thank you so much

And your description of why foster families and adoptive families have different purposes, and so rightly behave differently in terms of socialising children, was the clearest and most helpful thing I've read in a long time. Thank you for that too!