Preparing for a Home Study

You've finally finished all the paperwork, and you are facing what to do for the home study.  Maybe your agency has given you a checklist and you feel overwhelmed at everything that is required or prohibited.  Or perhaps your agency has simply said, "Pay attention to what we say in all the trainings and do that."  Ummm...."that" was a LOT of information spread out over 30 hours of trainings over several months.  Say wha?

Either way, you're probably a little overwhelmed.

Here's my advice.  Take a deep breath.  You're ok.  You've made it this far!

Now.  Talk with another foster parent, within your agency if possible, but really anyone will do.  Figure out what "temperature" your agency is about the home study.  Are they going to be there for 2 hours per person in your family?  Or maybe they'll be there for 2 hours total.  Are they going to open cabinets and scour your refrigerator for expired items?  Are they going to expect your children to be available for individual interviews?  What are you expected to provide for them while they're there?

The more detailed they are, the more prepared you will be for the state inspection when it comes.  And, y'all, it WILL come.  My home study developer was not very detailed and I led her around showing her things I thought she should ask me about.  I didn't feel prepared when the state came.  (It was fun.  (I mean, it was fine.  By fun, I'm being a little sarcastic....but it really was fine.)  I was prepared.  However, I didn't know what they would ask for and what if I couldn't show it to them because I didn't have the mythical "it"?)

Some agencies want you to have a "disaster" bag with 3 days worth of food and water in a safe place in your house as well as one in the car.  My agency never mentioned anything like that.  My agency did want me to have a list of emergency phone numbers handy and the children in my home to know where they are (which I thought was ridiculous since J didn't know 911 and wouldn't have been able to give them my address even if she did know 911 and I wasn't going to teach her my address because her mom couldn't have it, but....whatever.)

So, preparing for a home study.  Bottom line: talk to other foster parents within your agency and see what the agency expects.  Talk to your agency is they're helpful and knowledgeable and the person you're talking to as worked there long enough to be able to answer your questions.  I personally have found that foster parents are more helpful than agency personnel, but every agency is different.

A list of things that seem to be "across the board" with agencies:
a fire extinguisher on each level of the home
no food on the floor (even in the pantry)
evacuation map posted somewhere
medicine locked up
Child needs a bed
Child needs clothes or you need to have a place for their clothes to go when you do get the clothes

See?  Not so hard.

My home study lasted 2ish hours.  The last 15 minutes she walked around my home.  The first, and major part, was the interview.  Everything from my childhood to how many times I'd moved to why I hadn't chosen to do in vitro if I wanted to be a mom. (No, I'm not kidding.)  We talked about the ages and ethnicities and genders of kiddos I was willing to take and behaviors I was or was not willing to have in my home.  We talked about my rules for food.  This is a major one.  Food has to be available.  If you're planning to lock the refrigerator, please do not get into foster care.

The home study seems to cause a lot of anxiety for a lot of people, and I think the reason I was nervous was because my agency didn't communicate their expectations well.  I know other people are nervous because their agency's expectations are so high, they aren't sure they've met them.

Don't worry about how clean your house is or how neat and tidy it is.  You may already have kids.   Your house will look lived in.  It doesn't have to look like you're trying to show it to new buyers.  Promise!

You can do it!

Out of Season

Y'all.  I published this post a few weeks ago.  In it I mentioned I was almost done with the Christmas soap and was excited to pull out the Spring smells.  Well, I finally finished the Holly Berry Wreath and Winter Candy Apple and reached in to bring out the Tangy Tangerine and Kitchen Lemon soaps...and instead I saw the Cinnamon Pumpkin that was half finished.  Ahhhh!

The Tangerine stayed under the sink.  The Kitchen Lemon is brightening my cooking days.  The Cinnamon Pumpkin is hiding in wrong-season shame in my master bathroom.  I can practically smell the Tangerine from here!

Child Friendly?

When I became a mom of a 5-year-old over night, I felt comfortable in many areas, but I was completely lost in other areas.  I asked many friends for help, and they came through with flying colors.  As I continue my series on preparing for foster care, I think this post will be very helpful to adults that desire to be parents, but are not yet parents.  If you're already a parent and opening your home to little ones that need a safe place, then this may not be as helpful to you since you've already walked the path of parenthood.

And with that, I'm just going to jump right in! :)

I had NO clue about children's clothing sizes or TV channels or movies (other than Disney).  I knew the obvious child friendly foods, but those were mostly snack items.  I needed ideas for child friendly meals.  I also learned I needed help with age appropriate apps and advice on toys that she would enjoy but wouldn't drive me crazy.  I wanted to have things in my back pocket for rainy day back up plans.  I just needed ideas!

So, I've compiled this list from my own experiences and those of friends who have parented awhile.  If you're new to parenting, you may find this helpful!

Food (child friendly, "typical" allergy friendly, etc.)

dipping and finger foods – 

      carrots in ranch

      nuggets in ketchup

     oven fries

     veggie chips

     granola bars

     cut-up fruit w yogurt dip 

     bananas

     clementines

     apples

     pretzels

     apple sauce packets

Relatively healthy “treats”:

     berries with dairy whipped cream (in the can – makes anything cool)

     fruit parfaits (made with  yogurt) 

     smoothies (made with yogurt)

Easy well-liked meals include:

     quesadillas 

     pasta and sauce

     pizza grilled cheese (add pepperonis to a grilled cheese sandwich) 

     breakfast (pancakes or French toast and scrambled eggs) for supper

     tacos

     sloppy joes

     simple soup (plain Campbells) 

     mac and cheese

     organic chicken nuggets (Costco)

     nitrate free hot dogs

     sandwiches (cute sandwich cutters that use everything but the crust may be helpful!)

     rotisserie chicken (most grocery stores have these heated and in "warming" stations for easy pick up)

Apps and Websites

     Duck duck moose 

     Hungry guppy

     Owlegories

     PBS Kids is a great place for younger kids to play games and watch videos.

     ABC Mouse is a preschool-kindergarten website

     SUMDOG is a great learning website for older elementary kiddos

TV Shows and Movies

     Phineas and Ferb

     Veggie Tales

     Disney Jr

     Nick Jr

     PBS (non-cable)

     Qubo (non-cable) 
     Redbox for movies and Wii games

     Amazon prime has lots of free streaming kid videos and shows. 

          ** be mindful of shows about orphans. 

                  This is by no means a comprehensive list, but I'd steer clear from:

                         Peabody

                         Stewart Little 

                         Despicable Me 

                         Series of Unfortunate Events

     Disney movies are typically well loved:

          This is all a matter of parents' comfort level. I personally thought very carefully about each story line before turning one on.  There are some scary messages and some child-specific messages that I wasn't willing to show.  

Clothing stores:

One thing I found is that some run small, while other stores' items wear out quickly.  Here's an easy list of what you can expect from kids' clothing stores!

Once Upon a Child/Kid 2 Kid all the way – use their discount programs, sign up for email and get discounts – sell back when you’re done.

Carters runs small

Children’s Place runs a little slim

     Children's Place has awesome deals on clothes.  They have a free rewards program and also 
     have coupons most of the time.

Old Navy runs big but can vary widely

Stuff from WalMart usually only lasts through one kid 

Osh Kosh and Levis that have lasted through at least 3.  

Champion tennis shoes are 1/3 the price of Nikes but we had one pair last a week and our used Nikes have lasted almost a year

Outside Activities

     bubbles

     shooting a basketball

     scooter

    parks    

    Grapevine Botanical Gardens

    Downtown Grapevine

    Heard Museum

    Frank Buck Zoo

    Grapevine has fun things all the time!! 

          Butterfly festival

          Thomas the Train

          Amazing Christmas stuff!

Inside Activities

     Grapevine Aquarium

     Cabellas

     Perot Museum
     Public Library (most have children's programs year round; some even have trails or ponds nearby that children enjoy)
     Family movie night (make it special with pallets or special comfy chairs, lots of popcorn, etc.)
     Family Game Night (board games, card games or Wii)

Specific Toys to Encourage

    Discovery Toys 

     MarbleRun

     transportation sorters

     Legos are huge (esp. with wheels and doors pieces)

     a couple puppets

     A Mini Tramp and IKEA tunnel are great indoor gross motor play

     Everyone needs a balance board too – got a cool one at Aldi for 12 bucks.    (Vestibular/balance input helps with emotional balance and control.)

     A dish tub with rice put down in a (dry) blow up baby swimming pool is awesome (just dump the spillover back into the tub when done – add extra kitchen measuring cups, small bowls and things to hide in it – we also put our Banagram letters in there. 

     Melissa and Doug (worth the investment!!) simple and minimal noise

     Chalk

     Arts and craft stuff

     Cars

     Dolls

     Montessori type play stations or busy bags (dollar store loot ;) 

**multicultural dolls, super heros, books....have a rainbow of cultures and races in your toys**

Specific Toys to Stay Away From (due to any number of reasons)

     Electronic toys

     Zhuzhu pets (they can burn skin and rip hair out)

     Anything small with a zillion pieces. Often too overwhelming for kids to clean up :(

Tips – 

   -  stuffed animals and kid things that say you can’t machine wash often survive the washing machine

   -  IKEA is a great place for kid’s stuff (esp. inexpensive gross motor and sensory play toys) – They have adorable cheap tents and play rugs. 
   - buy shorts/pants with the adjustable waist. (buttons/elastic inside to move as they grow)  It makes it so much easier for everyone.

Saving Grace Meals

Saving Grace Meals Menu

Saving Grace Meals was born out of a desire to help others in a time of need.  Maybe this means a family with a new baby by birth or growing their family through foster care or adoption.  Maybe this means a family going through a tough time for any number of life reasons.  I enjoy helping people out with meals, and it occurred to me that maybe people would like to have meals available more regularly, so I decided I would keep my freezer stocked and make meals available to be ordered.  Having dinner ready is a saving grace, don't you think?

Email me at savinggracemeals@gmail.com to place your order!

Entrees:
Large (Feeds 4-6): $17
Small (Feeds 2-4): $12

Chicken Spaghetti
    chicken, spaghetti, cheese-y goodness

Salsa Chicken Casserole
     black beans, corn, salsa, rice and chicken

Potatoes and Sausage
     exactly as it sounds....except yummier

Mexican Casserole
     beef or chicken

Chicken Salad **
     apples, pecans (optional), pickles and pickle relish plus family recipe seasonings make this a wonderful entree by itself or you can use it to fill a croissant

Chicken and Rice Casserole
     chicken and rice with water chestnuts makes for the perfect creaminess with a crunch!

Spicy Shredded Pork
     This is one of those melt in your mouth dishes because it has been in the oven for hours and hours and just falls apart.  It can be medium or hot depending on your preference.

Teriyaki Pork Sandwiches
     I provide the pork goodness; you provide the bread!

Deliciously Marinated Grilled Chicken
     Works wonderfully well to top the Spinach Salad or shred for tacos or just eat by itself!

Sides:

One Order: $10 (serves a family of four-six)

Texas Potatoes
     potatoes, sour cream, cheese...yumm!

Chili Roasted Potatoes
     diced potatoes with slightly spicy seasonings ready for you to roast and serve

Salads:
Large: $12
Small: $10

Spinach Salad **
     spinach, pecans (optional), craisins, goat cheese, pepperoncinis and a creamy dressing

Southwest Cornbread Salad **
      cornbread, black beans, tomatoes, avocado, red onion and cilantro with a light dressing for a           refreshing yet filling concoction of goodness

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad **
     good 'ole classic!
     *add $2/person for chicken

Seasonal Fruit Salad in a Light Syrup **  $2.50/cup

Breakfast:
Blueberry Muffins: $6/dozen
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread: $6/loaf

Desserts:
Brownies: $6/pan
Lemon Squares: $6/pan
Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies: $6/dozen
Snickerdoodles: $6/dozen
Dump Cake: $15/pan
     fruit pie filling of your choice
          apple, peach, cherry, blueberry


Most things I make will freeze well.  There are a few things that should be refrigerated and eaten more promptly.  These items are noted with **.

Delivery $4

April 13-14 Meals

Our family has a lot of family favorites and these are definitely a part of the list!  :)

Entrees

Mexican Casserole: Large: $17   Small: $12
      Your choice of chicken or beef ($1 more for beef)

Creamy Chicken Salad: $6/serving
     *includes pecans     

Sides
Texas Potatoes:  $10 (square pan)

Fruit Salad: $2.50/cup
     Fresh fruit in a light syrup

Desserts

Dump Cake: $15 for pan
     fruit pie filling of your choice
        apple, peach, cherry, blueberry

Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies: $5 for dozen

Snickerdoodles: $5 for dozen

Brownies: $5 for pan

Breakfast

Blueberry Muffins: $6 for dozen

Email me at savinggracemeals@gmail.com by Friday at noon with  your order!