A quick parenting check:

How are you and your foster child getting along with each other? Think about this. It gets at the fit between you and the child.

The children placed with you have their own personalities, different backgrounds, and sometimes have very serious problems. The fit between you and them might not come quickly or easily. It helps to check the fit to see if it is working for you and the child.

Here is a quick check to see how the fit is between you and your foster child. Think about each question in this way. Is the answer almost always yes, usually yes, sometimes yes, seldom yes, or almost never yes?

As a rough guide, put a 5 to the left of a question if your answer is almost always yes. Put 4 for usually, 3 for sometimes, 2 for seldom, and 1 for almost never.

 1.____Are you responsible and fair when disciplining your foster child?

 2.____Do you know what your foster child needs and what is important to him/her?

 3.____Can you get your foster child to cooperate with you without you getting frustrated or upset?

 4.____Do you spend time every day talking or playing with your foster child?

 5.____Does your foster child like to spend time with you?

 6.____Are you usually pleased with and proud of your foster child?

 7.____Do you know about and are you interested in your foster child's activities?

 8.____Do you know about and are you helping with your foster child's problems?

 9.____Do you set a good example for your foster child?

10.____Do you give your foster child space to grow and learn on his/her own?

11.____Are you interested in what your foster child thinks and feels about things?

12.____Do you do all you can to support your foster child's interests, activities, and goals?