1. Playing board games with your foster children and maybe even starting a
family game night would be a great benefit.

2. Have a family member or family friend have the foster child over for a
play date with one of their children. Age does not necessary have to be
important in the beginning, a few years older or younger is not going to
matter. In the beginning you are just allowing them a safe place to
learn what children do and how they play.

3. Having a get together at your home with people that have children. This
can be more comfortable for the foster child because they are in their
turf (so to speak).

4. Spend sometime talking with them about things they may be interested in.
Like different kinds of sports, dance, art classes, animals, swimming, etc..

5. Church, youth groups. Sunday school, and choir can be a positive place for
a foster child to interact with other children. You may need to talk with
the youth minister to run interference for the foster child.

6. Talk with the child on how to be a friend, what friends mean to each other,
how to make friends, and everything to do with a friendship. You may have
to explain it a couple of times for them to really understand. Give them
ideas and share your experiences with friendship.

7. Set up a movie outing with another child whether the child is your child,
a family member, or friend’s child. The point is for the child to have fun,
get an idea of what friends do and help him want friends.

8. Give the child time to process the idea. Be supporttive, encourage them
even if it was only a tiny baby step.

9. Lead by example, meaning expose your foster child to your friendships.

10. Then last but not least, remember this is not something that will happen
overnight. They have spent a number of years pulling away from others.
They will need time, time, time, and more time:)


"Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk." Anonymous