| Being a foster parent is a hard job, but being a | | | | no different. They may be more willing to open up |
| foster parent to a teen is even harder. Teens who | | | | and be part of your family if they know they have |
| are in a foster program have a really hard time | | | | somewhere to go if they get uncomfortable. |
| trusting people and most of them are also pretty | | | | Let your foster teen be part of choosing family |
| angry. Most of their lives they have been bounced | | | | activities. If they think that their opinion on what the |
| around from place to place and not have had a | | | | family does is important, they will feel more |
| chance to settle in. They haven't been in any one | | | | important. |
| place long enough to be able to form a bond with | | | | Listen to them when they talk. They don't |
| anyone and it is this bond that allows them to learn | | | | necessarily want you to solve their problems, they |
| to trust people. It takes a lot of work to get a | | | | just want someone to talk to about their problems. |
| foster teen to trust again. Here are some ways to | | | | Be honest with your foster teen. You are going to |
| help the teen you are fostering learn to trust you. | | | | want your foster teen to be honest with you so you |
| Go out of your way to trust them first. If you are | | | | you need to lead the way. |
| open to trust them first, they will be more likely to | | | | Treat your foster teen like you do your own children |
| try to trust you. | | | | and they will feel accepted. |
| Teens like to have their privacy and foster teens are | | | | |