First of two nights of Behavior and Crisis Management Training is finished!
You might think otherwise based on the play dough creation we made together, but it was actually a great class and we learned a lot!
Key take-aways from Part I:
- We're only allowed by law to use the BCMT hold if the child is about to harm themselves or someone else.
- There are times that we play the role(s) of detective, coach, ambassador, and security. All of these interactions will either lead to trust and relationship building, or they will hinder the process.
- Stress impacts every area of our lives. If we don't have a plan in place for dealing with stress, becoming foster parents only makes it more difficult.
- We should each find an accountability partner who will help us stick to our weekly "stress-de-escalating" activities.
- For the first few months (and possibly years), we have to ensure we're meeting the kids' physical and safety needs before expecting them to understand what it means to meet their emotional needs. Children progress through the hierarchy of needs at different rates, but we hope they'll be able to say: I have what I need and I am safe. Then: I am precious and I'm awesome. And someday we may be able to hear them say: I can do anything!
- Be mindful of kids' cultural backgrounds, their memories, and their world views. We did an activity where we wrote words/drew symbols to represent some of our favorite things. After drawing and writing a few symbols, she had us draw a line to connect the two circles and stems around the circles. These became our own "rose-colored glasses" that we see the world through. The kids who come into our home will have their own "glasses" and their own world views. It's our job to love them and pro-actively reach out to find out what makes them THEM and help them feel special!
By the way, yes, that is a picture of a pillow - it represents my most favorite activity ever: sleeping. I think I'll go do that now...while I still can before there are kids in our home!
