Keepsakes to Send When a Placement Leaves

As we get ready to send our kids off, we want to ease the difficulty of the transition as much as possible, and we don’t want the history of their time with us to disappear or become lost chapters in their lives. It hasn’t helped that there aren’t many products out there specific to transitions in foster care, but here are some of the things I’ve found that I really like, and some things I returned right away. Hopefully, this helps other foster families transition without having to spend as much time researching ways to bridge life with you and a new beginning elsewhere.

Foster Child Baby Book

One of the first things I started researching was a baby book for foster children. My kids came as babies and spent a few years in care. There’s been a lot of history built with us, and I wanted them to have baby books like the kind I have for my biological children. The only problem is baby books spend a huge amount of time on the pregnancy, birth story, and family tree. Usually, half the pages are devoted to events prior to the child being born, and that doesn’t work so well in foster situations.

In my research, I realized there are very few baby books written specifically for children in care. After coming up dry on Amazon, I finally found a handmade book on Etsy here.

The books are customizable and have general headings that can be adapted for children of all ages. It came neatly packaged, and the pages seem durable. I give this 5 stars.

Slumberkins

I’ve had my eye on Slumberkins since the early days. They make snugglers and stuffed animals with accompanying books that tackle big emotions children may face. There’s a fox that broaches the topic of family change and an otter that deals with family bonding. I’ve loved the idea for a long time and finally pulled the trigger on a fox and otter snuggler.

When it arrived, I was a little disappointed. Perhaps I had built it up in my head for so long that the actual product couldn’t live up to expectations, but it was significantly smaller than the photos on the site made it appear, and for a $44 price tag, I just couldn’t justify it.

I started reading reviews of the snugglers just to see if I was alone in my frugality. Someone mentioned it had the same dimensions and build as a dog toy. Now I can’t unsee that comparison.

I returned the snugglers, but since Slumberkins allows you to print their stories for free, I am going to laminate the book and find a cheaper stuffed animal to accompany it.

Wonderbly

My kids received Wonderbly books for Christmas this year, and I was immediately sold. It’s a simple concept, a personalized book, but there’s something magical about seeing your name in print. You can add a dedication, choose an avatar for the main character that resembles your child, and change the character’s name. I chose “The Wondrous Road Ahead” and picked 3 character traits to show up in the book, one being bravery. You can view every page before you buy, but here is a sample:

It reads “You’re as loved as loved can be. Don’t worry if you’re lost, or stranded at sea. It’s easy sometimes to feel frightened and small. But YOU’RE the most brilliant hero of all! You know what to say and know what to do. Just always be certain to trust yourself, too.”

Recordable Story

Hallmark has a line of recordable storybooks so the kids can still hear your voice telling them a goodnight story. I chose “My Wish For You.” My main critique with this is I wish there was more selection so I could have picked a book we know and love.

Photobooks

I’ve purchased a few photobooks from different companies, cashing in on specials and first time customer discounts. Chatbooks and Walgreens were my favorites. Chatbooks had excellent customer service, and I think Walgreens actually had the best quality photobook. My kids love these, and it’s a fun alternative to a traditional photo album.

Recipe Book

Food is love, and it’s tied to so many memories. There’s no better way to share those favorite meals you’ve had together than making a recipe book to send with your foster children. If you don’t feel like a crafty DIY, Mixbook has a few recipe books to choose from.