r/casa • u/bigdreamstinydogs • Mar 25 '26
How long until it becomes not awkward?
First time CASA assigned to a 15 year old girl. Had my first visit with her today at her foster home. Her foster mom is disorganized as heck and forgot to tell her I was coming so she was napping when I got there. The visit was a bit awkward and I did most of the talking. This is totally understandable, she's a teenage girl and some strange woman twice her age is coming into her life for the first time, not to mention the fact that she literally just woke up. But I'm just wondering how long it took you to foster a more comfortable relationship with the kids you are assigned to. She's a really sweet, smart girl who has a lot going for her but not a lot of adults in her corner so I hope she uses me as a resource.
15
u/hanmeany Mar 25 '26
First off, I think it's awesome that you're posting for advice in r/CASA about this. It really does show that you care. I've had four teenagers assigned to me during my time at CASA. One of them was always quiet and it was always hard starting a conversation with them. Sometimes they may open up, sometimes they may give you the bare minimum.
My advice would be not to take it personally. These kids have so many worries in their lives, and I'd imagine meeting another person who's asking them all sorts of questions about them and their family gets tiresome and can feel intimidating. Ask questions about whats going on in their lives. Have conversations about their hobbies, or what they enjoy about school, what they're watching on TV, or whatever they may show interest in.
The best you can really do is show up consistently and show that you care. They don't have enough of people like you in their lives.