Simply Fostering

Fostering Blogs

Fostering Blog | Catheters and nappies

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

Fostering Blog | Catheters and nappies

Monday’s Fostering Blog

We are making most of the bank holiday today. Charlie was working all day yesterday, so we couldn’t do anything for the whole weekend. So we have a jam-packed day visiting friends and family who wed don’t get to see too often these days. We head down south on the motorway, the weather forecast is brilliant, so we have sun cream packed. We left early as we know traffic-wise this is one of the busiest days of the year to be on the road.

Leaving early is not always easy when you have a child with additional needs. You can’t just get up and dressed and go out of the door. You need a bit more planning. Some days we get up and Alice is on a “go slow” day, not wanting to eat breakfast or get dressed. Some things you have no control over, but for the things you can control, there are some things you can do to prepare in advance – like packing a bag, making sure you have enough supplies – plenty of catheters and nappies and a few extra just in case and a change of clothes (you never know!) A friend of mine also gave me a tip to get syringes with caps – so that you can prefill the syringes with her medicines for the day.

I recently ordered labels showing the names and dose of each medicine – that way I prefill the syringes and label them – meaning there is no way of giving her the wrong medicine accidentally. I have found this tip a huge time saver, and saves me taking all the bottle of medicine out with us. This is something I now do not only on days out and holidays, but at the beginning of every day, I get the medicines ready in their syringes for that day. When you have a child that takes a number of different medicines at different times, it is one of the ways you can be a bit more organised!

I think one of the keys to success in fostering is finding others in the same situation as you and sharif information. Getting tips from friends who are parents or foster carers of a child like Alice has been invaluable. Now that we have been on the fostering journey so long, we now feel that we have some advice and tips to share with new carers. I always feel like advice should be given on an “open hand” – people can take it, leave it, or adapt it. After all every child is different and every family is different and what works for you may not work for them.

All the planning was worth worth it today and we were on the road before it got to busy. We all had a lovely day spending time with friends and family. There were only a few tears from Alice. I think readjusting to not being the centre of attention was difficult for her. When we are with our friends they don’t give her extra attention like many do, she is just one of the family. We love that – and are so glad they treat her that way!!

A Less Ordinary Family Foster Care Blog

Scroll to Top
Free ‘Fostering Essentials #1’ E-book

Please provide your email so we can send you a download link and password.