I am well into adulthood and frankly I still have trouble labeling how I’m feeling when things aren’t quite right. Anyone with me on this? I feel that if you haven’t been in psychotherapy on a weekly basis, you might have difficulty nailing what exactly it is that’s making you so gloomy. Our kids who came…
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emotional balance begins with us (feelings: part 1) – (adoption/foster)
Some of you see the title of this post and scoff, “Well, that’s never going to happen, I guess there’s no hope for me.” Others see it and say, “Of course, that’s why I’m so calm.” And yet others fall in the middle, and I am one of them, or I hope I am. I…
Read Morestaying calm in the midst of a storm
Panic. Powerless. Frightened. These are a few of the reactions we can have when a major storm hits. This summer we had a vacation from somewhere down under (you can read more about it here), and part of that getaway included a tornado warning after a week of complete chaos and stress. I had never…
Read Morewhat level are you on? (adoption/foster)
My heart breaks when I hear of children who’ve been abandoned by families because they did not fit the mold they were expected to fall into. Families are falling apart because of the stress that has culminated due to a child that has attachment issues. The entire family suffers, and so does the child who…
Read Morethe fascination with adoption
I see them at the grocery store or restaurant, and I’m fairly certain they’ve adopted because they are Caucasian and they have Asian children or African children. I want to invite them to our adoption group, but I’m afraid to say anything for fear of offending. Do I ask if they adopted? Of course they…
Read MoreAdoption Today August 2013
My most recent article “Make This School Year Exceptional” is in the August issue of Adoption Today. There is always other great content available in this magazine. Be sure to check it out! Hope your school year goes well! ~Tracy Dee Whitt
Read Moreconnecting with compassion (adoption/foster)
This article originally appeared in Adoption Today’s June 2013 issue. Connecting with Compassion by Tracy Dee Whitt A few years ago, while my son was still in foster care, a social worker visited our home. During her short stay, my daughter, Payton, sat on my lap, we were singing “Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes,”…
Read Moreno really, good night (sleep issues: part 2) – (adoption/foster)
There seem to be many common themes among adopted children, and one of those is sleep issues. When I wrote about why children have sleep issues on Friday, it received the most views of all my posts this month, and I believe this is because many adopted children have difficulty falling and staying asleep. In this…
Read Morewhy “good nights” are illusive (sleep issues: part 1) – (adoption/foster)
A big obstacle adoptive parents face is their child’s lack of sleep. Many adopted 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 family, I’m sure that’s not the case for yours. Insert smiley face.) Although…
Read Morejust my opinion on “labels”
Diagnoses have a negative reputation, and they’re often referred to as “labels.” Maybe there is critical thinking when it comes to diagnoses because of how people have used them, abused them, and criticized the diagnosed person. It may also be because some use a diagnosis as a means to get a child medication (in some…
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lovin' adoptin' & autism 