Talking to little ones about what is going on is an incredibly nuanced situation because they don’t have the complete picture or context about what’s happening. As kids get older, they may be able to identify things their parents did that were unsafe or may be more away of concerns at home. I always suggest consulting with the therapist or professional team when navigating these conversations.
Here are some considerations:
If a child came to you as an infant and is still in foster care:
Consider using play, create a storybook, reading books, watching shows, or attend a support group for kids to give context to their situation
If a little one comes to you (not an infant):
You may need to explain the situation a bit more, giving an age-appropriate reason that they can’t be with mom or dad. Make sure you are checking with the case worker and their parent so that the explanation is consistent across everyone.
Avoid words like “sick” or “vacation” - these words have different meanings and could lead to confusion or fear in the future (for example: if you say Dad is sick, the child may get very scared when the caregiver gets sick OR if you say “You are on vacation” they get triggered or confused by conversations about vacations or trips in the future).
There is a lot more to add to this, but I hope this helps you at least get started thinking through this situation. Feel free to add to this conversation below! ⬇️
Looking for more? I offer 1:1 DM support (plus checklists and templates) on Patreon for as little as $1. [ Ссылка ]
Find Me on Social Media:
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
Tiktok: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
