Training Update 2-04-11

Day 4 of "Icepocalypse" and we're snowed in and snacking on a Hickory Farms cheese and sausage basket that my parents gave us. Life doesn't get any better in my opinion. Here's an update on our foster training thus far and perhaps more info on the process for those interested.  Basically, in Texas, you have to do about 30 hours of training to become a foster parents (it's called PRIDE training if you wanted to know - ten points to whomever guesses what the acronym stands for). Your agency will put you through this training and some agencies add additional requirements as well. Ours breaks up training into 6 sessions, which include the State mandatory CPR and behavioral intervention training (BIT). So what does PRIDE consist of...? Rather than me explain it very poorly - here's an explanation from the State's website:

"PRIDE is a competency-based program consisting of 10 three-hour sessions, and covers topics ranging from attachment issues, loss issues, discipline, effects of abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, and the effects of fostering and adopting on the family."

Our coffee boost before we left for the first training

We've gone through the first 2 training sessions at our agency, which consists of all the PRIDE stuff (yikes - very eye opening btw. Also, agencies will usually lump the PRIDE trainings together into a couple days as opposed to 10 separate sessions - because seriously, who has time for 10 separate trainings sessions). Those first 2 trainings were all day sessions from 9am to 5:30pm. It's a long day, but you learn a ton of great info and you get to meet people going through the same process (and make new friends too - shout out to Phil and Lou!). Jak's little bro, who is a senior in college, was visiting the weekend of our first training and the

Jak's bro has a PRIDE training under his belt - here's proof!

sweet guy went with us. He even earned training credit! So now that leaves us with BIT, PMAB (Prevention & Management of Aggressive Behavior), CPR/First aid, and Medication training (which is actually optional if you're only fostering kids 5 and under). Roughly 3 more trainings and a decent amount of paperwork (which is a whole separate post) and we'll be "ready" for a home study.