[KelleyF]

I was just wondering what everyone does with the things they buy for their foster kids. My two kids came with nothing so I had to buy a lot of cloths and toys for them. They also got a lot from my family at Christmas. I was just wondering if you send everything with them when they leave or just a select few to get them started. If I give them everything, I will have to start all over again with the next foster child and that will be very costly. Also, they did get a lot of gifts from their bio family at Christmas but they kept everything at the grandmother's house so I have no idea what they have.

[mckenna]

i always sent any clothes i had bought with their clothing vochures (if they could still fit in them), and anything they had gotten as gifts (from others) anything i bought i kept for the next kids (unless something was thier new security item). my kids were always younger so they could not choose what they wanted and what they did not. someone with older fchildren might have different advice.

[tlc4kidz]

I always sent pretty much everything....except the bed. I even sent stuff like first Christmas dress, first halloween costume, toys, etc. It's probably different for us because we only fostered infants and I always went out and spent the money from their monthly check on toys and clothes for them to grow into. We also only fostered one at a time, so when they left it was like starting over and I loved getting all the new things again.

Our 2nd fd's amom did ask me not to send anything else after the 3rd huge rubbermaid tub.....or they might have had to buy a bigger house . I don't think there is anything wrong with deciding what to keep and what to send and keeping some for the next though.

[riley6]

I send everything they came with (I save it all in my attic) IF they came with anything (which I've had kids come with nothing!). I also send anything that the kids received as gifts or bought with their allowance. I send any clothes that they still fit into. I don't send clothes that they've out grown even if I bought it with their clothing allowance. I've found that most of the time it ends up in the trash when they move back with family, or is left in their apartment when their bp's move.

Sometimes I buy things for our family and those things stay here. I have learned that I have to be specific when I buy something that the child asks for and I buy (like a DVD). I tell them that I'm buying for the family to use.

[L-A-J-C-R-C]

I send everything that's theirs, clothes, toys, stuffed animals, things they came with, christmas/birthday gifts from us and others, etc. I would keep or donate any of the clothes I bought for them that they outgrew. If they came with a car seat I'd send that too; if I bought the car seat and knew I'd be taking in another child that would need one I'd keep it.

If you had purchased toys, blankets, books, etc. before they were placed with you I'd keep those for the next child to use.

Michelle