Foster Care Support Group

First of all that is amazing that you have 10 children and 6 are under the age of 7. That is awesome. I think that our biggest mistake as foster mom's is that we always put ourselves last and sometimes we need to have time for ourselves so that we can get healthy and enough sleep, I know it is easier said then done. My Husband works 3rd shift and he works 12-14 hours a night so I pretty much have all 3 of our kids until the weekend because he is sleeping during the day and then working long hours. It is very exhausting but very worth it. Where are you from?

We are in Texas. I honestly think it helps just to vent for a moment. I adore all of our children. We have had 9 since last September and number 10 arrived in March. He is the sibling to a sibling group that I already had. It is truly exhausting but I couldn't imagine my life any different. My kids are the most amazing blessing and we enjoy a lot of laughter in this chaos.

I keep thinking of ideas in my head, but then I get so overwhelmed that you have 10 kids that I think MY eyes start crossing...anyway, olympic games outside are fun to invent with ropes, hoola-hoops, three legged stuff, water balloon toss..that sort of stuff. Also a cook off / outdoor or backyard camping trip is fun. Making s'mores is also fun. We just entered our kids in a Pokemon tournament...they lost all rounds, but it was something for them to do. Ask the local library if they have summer reading programs for kids.

Summer always seems harder to find stuff for the kids to do.

Enjoy your family.

Hugs.

As big as your heart is you may be overdoing it.Remember that you have to take care of yourself to be able to take care of them.

Hello and God bless you for fostering soo many kiddies. It's delightful to hear that you are even able to find laughter in the chaos! Laughing always helps everyone to decompress!
I have a suggestion: If you have a week or so ahead of time to plan before your hubby's weekend off, I'd 1st contact your caseworker/local DSS & find out if there's a "respite" foster family willing to take all your kids for Saturday night sleepover. I'd invite the respite foster parents to your place for informal BBQ (or picnic lunch) and rent 1 of those inflateable slides (the big ones that come with a generator). And since you have so many kids, I'd suggest renting the slide that has 3 lanes (those units are substantial enough to hold grown men). You & your hubby could spend all day Saturday enjoying your kids & connecting with the respite couple, and your kids would get to know them too, and if they're available to take your kids that night, you'd be able to have at least 1 night to yourselves & could just meet them for Brunch on Sunday. Note- If there aren't any respite families that can accommodate all 10 kids, you could ask if they'd be willing to baby-sit your kids at your home overnight. It's noble & praiseworthy that you are looking for ways to enjoy being with the kids especiallly given how burnt-out you must be (essentially being a single-mom for all the month's your hubby's been working 7 days/wk, but I think you'd be doing yourself, your hubby & your kids a diservice if you don't take at least a night-off to regroup. You need time to "unstring your bow" or else it will not be useful.
P.S. If the idea of having your kids watched by respite foster parents is too unsettleing for you to even enjoy your night off, you might want to ask 2 close friends/family members if they'd stay with them overnight on Saturday so that you rest comfortably & truly enjoy your time with your hubby!
Hope that helps! All the best to you and your wonderful family!
Anne Marie

I am with ThreeFold.. Time for a Night off!

Another Idea I have done is get a teen from your neighborhood or church and have them spend the night. I have them take on any small ones that wake at night. and I sleep all the way through.. Then she gets up in The AM and makes the kids breakfast and has a planned activity. I get to sleep in! I have even done this in the afternoon. Planned an activity and I took a Nap