My cousin, Dawn*, and I were teenagers when we sat on her living room floor flipping through a photo album. On the first page my Aunt Deidre* was pictured with a big smile, holding a precious baby with an adorable beauty mark on her forehead. That day, Dawn shared with me that her mom had…
Read MoreAll articles filed in Tracy Dee Whitt
Supporting adoptive and foster families and families living with autism.
get the right response (Autism)
People with Autism are intelligent, but sometimes as a parent of an Autistic child it can be difficult to see at times. When we ask our children to do something and they don’t respond, it’s not a lack of intelligence, but the Autistic child’s brain taking time to process everything. Temple Grandin has said… The…
Read Morewhy Grandma & Grandpa’s parenting techniques don’t work with adopted/foster kids
In March, Rebecca Vahle of the Adoption Perspectives radio show interviewed me. In the interview below, we discuss why “normal” parenting techniques don’t work with adopted and foster children. We went over things such as: why it’s okay to give a child attention when they’re acting out why people want us to parent differently, and…
Read Moreis love enough? (adoption/foster)
Pam Parish, a woman who writes insightful words over at http://www.pamparish.com, asked for input on the “love is not enough” idea in a Facebook adoption group. I had quite a lot to say about the subject since I’d heard Nancy Thomas speak on “Love is Not Enough.” I had disagreed with Nancy to a point,…
Read More6+ ways to help your child when they can’t communicate (Autism/special needs)
How do people; therapists, family, teachers, and friends view our child who is nonverbal? Do they truly understand our child? How does our child feel when they can’t communicate what they desire or need? Can you imagine the frustration of not being able to tell someone you’re hot, hungry, want to go to a certain restaurant,…
Read Morekeep it simple: simple language = understanding (adoption/foster)
Do you have a young child who doesn’t obey when you ask her to do something? Does your child smile at your from the top of the table when you’ve asked him to get down? Do you have a newly (within the last year) foster or adopted child who is older but doesn’t do what…
Read Morewe are what we eat: food and its effects on Autism
*Please be sure to read the note at the end regarding the words “managing” Autism before making any assumptions about my stand on this issue. Heck, just go read the note no matter what, it’s a point we all need to consider. Katherine Reid of Unblind My Mind says, “We are what we eat, but…
Read More4 reasons why the foster system is STILL failing
Society is failing foster children in so many ways. There are numerous reasons, but for today I will only touch on four. I’m discouraged that in 2014 children in the United States still languish in foster care. This is greatly due to society in general, it shows in the comments made about children who need…
Read MoreApril – National Child Abuse Prevention Month
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Below is a infographic you can share with others via Facebook, Twitter, or any way you choose. Below is the video ReMoved (only 12 minutes long). It’s a must watch for everyone really, not just foster parents, those interested in adoption, and child advocates. I love what…
Read Moremore perspectives on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) – Autism
In my post My Thoughts on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), I said I would share more opinions on ABA from professionals, a very successful mother of an Autistic boy, and adults on the spectrum. So here’s the follow-up post I promised, albeit late because of a sickness that I can’t seem to overcome. In that…
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lovin' adoptin' & autism 