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Relief Parents

sandylegsntoes Sep 25 2005, 10:43 AM Post #1

What do you think of relief parents?

What should a relief parent bring for the children the first day?
Kids music for the little ones? Games for the bigger ones?

Do kids of any age in a shelter participate in boy or girl scouts, school sports teams, church youth groups?

webmaster Sep 25 2005, 07:24 PM Post #2

QUOTE
What do you think of relief parents?




I think they have an extremely difficult job. In most cases they have to try to carry out the wishes of the regular staff even at the expense of their own feelings. The youth are always trying to get over on them, especially in facilities were regular and relief staff don't communicate well and they are always required to live in somebody Else's house.

I very much respect relief staff and have no desire to be relief staff again (I was relief staff for almost a year). It just didn't work for me, I have too many control issues. I have however known several people that prefer only to be relief staff. My first boss said that he preferred being relief because you weren't responsible for all the regular appointments and stuff, you don't have to be the heavy with the kids, and you get to do a lot of fun things with the kids.


QUOTE
What should a relief parent bring for the children the first day?
Kids music for the little ones? Games for the bigger ones?




I am not sure I would bring anything. I would try to find out from the regular staff as much as I could about the regular routine, try to stick as closely as possible to it, and use the first couple reliefs to really get to know the children. From there you can figure out things to do with them based upon their likes and dislikes. The best possible thing you can do as a new houseparent is observe and learn.


QUOTE
Do kids of any age in a shelter participate in boy or girl scouts, school sports teams, church youth groups?



I don't know about the particular facility you will be employed with, but every facility I have ever worked at, the kids have been in outside activities. Even when I worked in a therapeutic group home, kids had jobs, where in choir, youth groups, etc.

Hope you find this helpful.

sandylegsntoes Sep 26 2005, 07:25 AM Post #3

Thanks for replying, Webmaster. I marvel at the numerous views of this question but few replies.

momof10 Sep 27 2005, 10:45 AM Post #4

At our facility we do not have relief parents but work 7 days on and then 7 days off so both sets are the primary. We do have a "floater" couple who is usually the newbies but we seldom have full staff to use the "floaters" and they are put into their own cottage. I would find it difficult to be relief because you don't have any space of your own. I suppose if you have no kids it would be easier but with us, we have our rooms full of kid stuff and when we go anywhere we end up bringing the whole house with us!

With the activites, I ditto what Michael said about the facility having control of that. With our kids, we need the states permission to get the kids involved as most of the activities need parental permission. Our kids are involved in some things but logistics tend to get a bit difficult. We have an awesome assistant who helps with that though.

I don't think you will need to bring anything because they should have all of their own stuff there.

Have a great time!

 

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