Introductions

[Adoptingdaddy1]

Got 1st day intros coming up, just wondering if a small gift is a good idea to break the ice or just go with nothing at all? He's a toddler aged 5 if that helps. TIA

Take a teddy bear, if you haven't done your intro book yet, have the teddy in the photos. My son is 15, still sleeps with his intro teddy, called very imaginatively Ted. He wouldn't admit it though
Congratulations- exciting times

Oh and bubbles, great fun!

We took ours a book each and we read them to them. We also took bubbles! I still take bubbles everywhere with me. Crayons are also good to have on you for trips out if your waiting for food etc.

Congratulations and make sure you get some good sleep in the run up, we found intros exhausting (but very exciting).

Another yes for the bubbles. Perhaps a comic / magazine too if you know anything about his interests or favourite tv characters?

Thanks we didn't want to buy bubbles as its obviously in someone else's house and don't want to make a mess. We bought a Teddy and that went the day we were approved so that is already there. In the end we bought a sand crayola sketch box that lights up, just something simple to break the ice really. Thanks for replies.

Bubbles don't make any mess really, I'm sure they've seen worse - as will you. And there is always the garden!

In my intro video I had a bear which I handed over with the book as bear was going to give DD (age 3) hugs until I got there I also read a page of a book, it was this book I took on my first day with her and we read it everyday for a long while.

Congratulations and good luck xx

Congratulations!

I see you've gone ahead and bought a present, but I would caution against bringing it to your first meeting. You don't want to set up an expectation of 'things' and the whole thing will be overwhelming enough as it is for the LO. You also don't want to be fumbling about, trying to set it up, when you should be focusing on the child. There will be lots of time for presents, promise!

We took stuff to do some theraplay activities, so straws, cotton wool, stickers, cream, feathers pencils, baby powder, paint to do handprints with. We planned activities to do in case we got stuck with stuff to do there and our two found our box of stuff exciting. We found it awkward knowing what they had to play with as we were mainly in the lounge and didn't feel we could just wander into their rooms and choose stuff to do so worked out.

I am honestly petrified of introductions..

We have met FC a couple of times, and they seem lovely genuine people.

We haven't met our AS yet.

I think when it was an 'abstract' somewhere in the future I was ok. Now it is going to be "this month" I am suddenly panicking.

I saw a video clip of AS today, which makes things a lot better

By all means take a toy, teddy etc but just be forewarned that the little one might not take to it immediately. Our DS was 4 at intros and hid the teddy bear right at the back of the foster carers playroom and didn’t want it packed to bring with him when he moved. 2 years on and he likes it well enough but actually favours a cuddle toy of mine that I asked him to care for the first time I went away for the weekend without the kids.

They’ll choose their own transitional objects, no harm at all in taking something just don’t be hurt if he’s a bit nonplussed.

A toddler, aged 5?