I am a Sesame Street kid who has grown into a Sesame Street adult. In case I haven’t told you before, I literally love Sesame Street. There are four things that Sesame Street does amazingly well in its mission to teach preschoolers that those of us working with teens in foster care should take note of.
Sesame Street:
- Meets their children where they are. Their message is age appropriate.
- Engages children in “learning by doing”. There is no lecturing at Sesame Street.
- Keeps their presentation lively, upbeat, and fun.
- Repeats the things that are important. Repetition is powerful.
I want to offer a different perspective to anyone struggling with a challenging teen client. If you just can’t understand why they won’t do what is required or do what’s “best for them” think about your own teen years. Remember that no one is perfect and the lives of teens in foster care are put under a microscope. Everything about their lives is evaluated, orchestrated and mandated until they exit the system. How would you “stack up” if your life were put under a microscope?
- Do you ever exceed the speed limit on your way to an appointment?
- Could you use more fruits and vegetables in your regular diet?
- Do you get the required 8 hours of sleep each night?
- What about regular exercise?
- Ever procrastinate on completing an important task?
No one is perfect. We all have had to learn some things “the hard way”. At some point we all have done things that weren’t in our best interest. I am a fan of tough love but love is the key word here. We have to be sure that discipline, critique, and demands are given with love and compassion. Our goals should be to provide our teens the opportunity to fail safely. By giving them the opportunity to make mistakes in a safe, nonjudgmental environment we show them that failure is never permanent and our support is never ending.
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Nicki Sanders, MSW, Chief Visionary Officer
The Teen Toolbox utilizes youth portfolio development and civic engagement and academic empowerment strategies to help teens set goals for life after high school and create a road map to reach those goals through its PACKAGED FOR SUCCESS™ Programs. We are committed to supporting and raising awareness about the needs and potential of teenagers in the foster care system.
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