What Every Houseparent Needs to Know!
or
I Wish Somebody Would Have Told Me!
This was originally three articles, some of the first ones I wrote, but when I redesigned the website I combined them. I hope when you read it you will be able to say, "I am glad somebody told me."

What Every Houseparent Needs to Know! - Christian Edition

A rebuttal to an E-mail I received about my "What Every Houseparent Needs to Know" articles

My First Day as a Houseparent- The Beginning of a most interesting week.  Click Here

My Second Day as a Houseparent - It really got interesting on the second day.  Click Here

My First Week Continued - As my week continues I learn a great deal about being a houseparent and runaways.  Click Here

Our First Day Off as Houseparents - After working a double shift our very first time, without training or orientation we finally got a day off to keep my wife from quitting.  Click Here

You Can’t Compete with Birth Parents! - Children tend to put their birth parents on a pedestal and you can't compete with that.  Click Here

Using Birth Parents as an Example - Don’t!- It will only cause conflict with the child.  Click Here

Weaned on Nachos!! - Children in residential and foster care can have some strange eating habits.  Click Here

The Very First Time - Doing things for the first time with the children in your care.  Click Here

It’s Guaranteed to Happen (Being Accused of Abuse) - If you work in residential care long enough you will probably be accused of abuse by a child.  Click Here

Three Kinds of People - In society and in houseparenting there are three kinds of people and laws and rules are needed for two of those types.  Click Here.

Vans & Vomit - Traveling with children it is bound to happen - Click Here

IN RE GAULT 387 U.S. 1 - ARGUED DECEMBER 6, 1966. - DECIDED MAY 15, 1967 - My commentary on a ruling that has a great impact on Juvenile Justice.  Click Here

Month of Madness - The Holiday Season - The Holiday Season in a Children's Home can be madness, read my story.  Click Here

Houseparents and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) - A commentary about a Department of Labor Opinion Letter and how it affects houseparents.  Click Here

Houseparent Salaries!! - A short article I wrote about houseparent salaries.  Click Here

Chore Checklists - Can help teach a child to do a chore properly and insure it is done. - Click Here to Read More

An Appropriate Apology - Do you know what an appropriate apology is?  Click Here

Sentences and Essays as a Consequence- Some advice on using sentences and Essays as a consequence.  Click Here

Video Game System Timer- I have done a way with fighting over the video game systems in my house.  I built a Video Game System Timer that controls the amount of time our children use them.  - Click Here to Read More

Stock Car Racing Behavioral Chart- Here is a Behavioral Chart that I created based on Stock Care Racing the number 2 sport in America.  The kids in my cottage have responded well to it, and it has helped us teach discipline to our children.    Click Here to Read More

Hotrod Whiteboards - How to keep your whiteboards looking sharp - Click Here

Contests and Rewards (The Coffee Can Program) A reward program I developed at my first facility - Click Here

The Big Burger - Something fun I did with kids that they absolutely loved.  Click Here

Articles by Other Authors

Agency Communication & The Supervisory Role - By James Harris, Jr.: One of the main challenges that residential placement agencies may encounter is internal communication. ......... Click Here to Read More

The Importance Of Physically Organized And Therapeutically Structured Environments  - By James Harris, Jr.: The social worker did not know what to do. The house was definitely filthy and John and Jeremy were stuck living there. . .......... Click Here to Read More

Helping Youth in Care Deal With Issues of Grief and Loss  - By James Harris, Jr.: Children in residential placement have been removed from their families of origin. In some instances, their families abandoned them. (And, even in cases when a child's parents did not abandon them, it still may very well feel that way.) ........... Click Here to Read More

Helping Grieving & Distressed Children:
Talking with Them About Death and World Violence
- By James Harris, Jr.: As adults we have learned that we will be confronted by, and have to learn to cope with, losses (both natural and unnatural). In the world today we struggle to make sense of such losses and to protect youth from the harsh reality of life in America, and the world beyond. It is natural for caretakers to want to protect their children. ........... Click Here to Read More

Non-Traditional Families May Be Typical American Family  - By James Harris, Jr.: There is no doubting that America has undergone transformations over the past half century. This includes the makeover of the traditional American family. While the long-established nuclear family still exists, it is now joined by alternative households, including adoptive, foster, kinship, and blended families. ........... Click Here to Read More

Houseparent Salaries - The Child Welfare League of America publishes a quarterly newsletter.  In the Spring 2003 edition, they have a summary of a scientific survey they did of member agencies concerning salaries.  Click here for details

Empty Chairs (As a national workforce shortage strikes child welfare, CWLA responds) - Here is an article I found on the Child Welfare League of America website.  It deals with the staffing shortage that many facilities face.  Click here to read the article