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Fostering Blog | Grumpy Alice

Fulltime Foster Carer - Harriet author of: A Less Ordinary Family

Fostering Blog | Grumpy Alice

Fostering Blog – Alice

Monday

We are just about back to ‘normal’ after Lauren’s bout of tonsillitis. I say ‘normal’ but you know what I mean – our normal not normal normal!! It’s a new week and that means a fresh start. For once I feel like I am ready to tackle the week, I have the lunch boxes all packed and ready, PE kits washed and at the door and I was up and ready before Alice was even out of bed. I used to have this great routine – where basically if I could get up and ready before Alice – then I knew we had a better chance of getting the day off to a good start.

Over the last few weeks with one thing and another, my routine has pretty much gone out of the window – knock on effect has been that mornings have become quire stressful again. So today, I am back on it. I may well be on it but I have forgotten to send the memo to Charlie – he has been sitting reading his book in the lounge for the last twenty minutes, while I have been racing round making sure everyone is getting ready for school, eating their breakfast and so on, he seems oblivious to everything go on around him. I do wonder what would happen if I did that one morning – no actually I don’t think I do as I can imagine.

Once I return home from the school run I head off to my Fostering Agency, today I will be doing their Safeguarding training. Over the course of the year we have a set amount of training to do – some is mandatory – like Safeguarding, and other training is optional. We also have the opportunity of doing some of the optional stuff on line. To be honest I like the variety, it is good to have face to face training, and it gives you an opportunity to connect with other carers. I also like some of the online stuff – means you can choose to do it at a time that fits in with you.

Charlie and I have done Safeguarding training on many many occasions. We have done it with pretty much every job we have done. It can feel very negative, a bit repetitive, and a bit of a box ticking exercise. However I also know how important it is and that actually it is something that should not be neglected. By the end of the day, we are all feeling a little depressed, but after a bit of feedback at the end, we are all feeling a bit more empathetic towards our foster kids – it has been a reminder to us about some of the abuse and neglect they faced in their early years. I return home with that thought in mind.

When Alice returns home from school and she’s grumpy and snappy, I just remember what I learnt today and I have just a little more patience than usual.

A Less Ordinary Fostering Family Blog.

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