I don’t suggest reading this if you don’t want your family to change. This will ruffle feathers, they’ll go flying, but this is so important if you want your family to do well, if you want your child to heal and your family thrive. I’ve avoided writing this because I don’t want people to get…
Read MoreAll articles filed in foster care
making Halloween happier (adoption & foster care)
Originally posted on lovin' adoptin' & autism:
How do we stay sane during Halloween? It can be hard, even with kids who don’t have sensory issues, or attachment issues. The first goal is to make it fun for your child. For children with attachment issues, I don’t agree with the approach of removing everything fun…
what emotion is my adopted/foster child dealing with?
Ruby is acting out in class, her teacher says she doesn’t follow the rules, she gets up from her chair to talk to other kids, is downright disrespectful to her, and has even been physically aggressive toward other kids. She’s a big handful. At home, Conner’s hitting his siblings and parents, hiding under the bed,…
Read Morecan a hurting child make choices? (adoption & foster care)
Decisions, decisions, decisions. When a child comes from a traumatic past, they consistently need decisions made for them. Even months and years after their adoption or placement in foster care, a hurting child will need others to help guide them more than a typical child would. But sometimes too much control is taken away from…
Read Morewhat a relationship from a movie can teach us about adoption and foster care
In the movie, Blood Diamond, I witnessed a relationship that I thought resembled what should take place in adoptive and foster families. The movie, Blood Diamond, is based in Africa, during the Civil War in Sierra Leone. During the war, Solomon’s young son, Dia, is captured by the rebel army. He’s forced to perform terrible…
Read More
how to help your adopted/foster child sleep (sleep issues part 2)
Sleep issues are a hot topic in the adoption and foster care community. Last week I highlighted why hurting children have problems sleeping in my post, Why Adopted and Foster Children Have Sleep Issues, and as I promised, I’m back this week to give you ideas on how to help your kids sleep. If you…
Read Morewhy adopted and foster children have sleep issues (sleep issues part 1)
A big obstacle adoptive and foster parents face is their child’s lack of sleep (aka: refusal to sleep or rest, inability to sleep). Many adopted and foster children have a difficult time falling and staying asleep. Sleep issues can wreak havoc on the whole family, and when everyone’s tired, everyone’s grouchy (at least in our…
Read Moremy adopted/foster child is never satisfied. what can I do?
Caleb was never satisfied, it didn’t matter what his parents did for him. They took him to Chuck-E-Cheese on Friday night, just because, not for a special event. After they left, he asked, “What are we doing tomorrow?” It happened every time, whether it was an amusement park, a golf game with dad, or simply…
Read Moreevery child is worth it: adopting an older child
I came across this heartwarming video on Facebook and just had to share it with you. It’s a must see. The girl in this video breaks my heart. She’s overwhelmed by the news that this family’s adopting her. She’s waited years, and now she has a forever family. I can’t imagine being a teen and…
Read Morerocking: a simple first step to bonding, and it doesn’t just apply to infants (review – adoption/foster care)
(This post originally appeared on Lovin’ Adoptin’ in May 2013. I feel with all the new visitors I’d share again, plus a little reminder never hurt any of us, right?) Have you found that discipline and having consequences for negative behavior doesn’t work with your hurting child? As one mom phrased it, “They don’t care.”…
Read More
lovin' adoptin' & autism 