While we cannot spare our foster children from all of the trauma of being in foster care, one of the best things foster parents can do is cultivate a home life aimed at helping build resilience in their foster children. In this and the other two videos in this series, I offer three things you can do every day, beginning on day one of a new placement, to do just that.

In the first video in the “Resilience Series,” I talked about how routines can help build resilience. I discussed how routines help children learn to predict what to expect each day, and how that predictability can help them feel safe and secure. I also offered examples of daily, weekly, and seasonal routines (or rituals) that kids grow to really appreciate, from the bedtime routine to the annual holiday traditions.

In this video, I am sharing about the vital role communication can play in helping children develop a sense of stability, security, and safety as they adjust to being in a new place (your home). Because of how chaotic and disruptive it is for children in foster care, they often experience a sense of insecurity associated with instability. By practicing good communication, we help our children feel seen and heard, and we help ensure they feel prepared and informed about whatever life might throw at them that day.

Good communication also provides an opportunity for validation, a vital part of helping build trust and confidence. .

Check out Part I here, and be sure to subscribe to my channel so you don’t miss Part III, which is coming out this Friday, in which I will discuss the role having fun plays in building resilience!