Podcasts about older child adoption

How old is too young for a phone? Is gaming harmful to our kids? How much technology is too much. We talk with Dr. Jay Berk, a licensed psychologist and an expert in working with children and families. He is the author of two books: “A Parent's Quick Guide to Electronic Addiction” and “Codeswitching: Social Skills in the Screen-Age”.In this episode, we cover:Parents from time immemorial have worried about the impact of the “new technology” and this goes back to our great great great grandparents worrying about the influence of novels to parents of the 50's worry about too much time on the phone, to parents of the 80s worrying about too much TV, and on to the present where we worry about screen time, texting, and gaming. We parents are digital “immigrants” while our kids are digital natives. How does this dynamic present challenges?How to keep up with what our kids are doing?What are the general best practices for elementary aged kids using digital technology?What age should kids be given a phone?What are reasonable rules for phone use?      How do things change as our kids each around age 11 or 12 and on into their teen yearsHow important is the use of digital media to socialize for this generation?When should parents worry?Is the child getting enough sleep?Are they eating well?Are they getting enough exercise?Are they doing well in school?Do they have real life friends?If so, they are probably just fine.What are the signs that our kids may be too involved with digital technology or gamingHow much screen time is too much for tweens? For teens?Do different types of technology have different risks and benefits? Internet? Gaming? Porn?What are some reasonable rules for families to set in regards to technology, screen time, and gaming?  How to get buy-in from our tweens and teens?App-tell kidA challenge particular to families adopting or fostering older children or teens is that often our kids come to us with having had little supervision or rules about internet use? How can we establish healthy habits when the rules are new to them?Resources: A Parent's Quick Guide to Electronic Addiction by Dr. Jay BerkCenter for Parent and Teen Communication: A Fact-Not-Fear Approach to Parenting In the Digital Age https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aNtRhYfA3kCreating a Family's Navigating the Internet with Adopted or Foster Tweens and Teens https://creatingafamily.org/adoption-category/adoption-blog/navigating-the-internet-with-adopted-or-foster-tweens-and-teens/This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Support the showPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamily

The overwhelming majority of people who contact our agency and are thinking about adopting do so with the intention of adopting a child that is aged 0 to 2 years old. And understandably everyone has their reasons for this. However, our latest figures show that 40% of our children that have a Placement Order are in fact 3 years old or older, and with this group of children waiting the longest for their forever families we have more need than ever for adopters to consider whether they could adopt an older child. These are still very young children, and due to the nature of their births there will be some developmental delay, meaning that while these older children may present as older they are in fact still very young and need just as much love and attention. But how do you officially class a child as older? At what age do YOU consider a child to be classed as old? The team at Adoption Now hit the road at shopping centres in Bolton, Blackburn and Bury to challenge these preconceptions at our recent July Roadshows! We took five life-sized, cardboard cut-outs, based on real children, were displayed and passers-by were asked how old they thought they were based on their height. The children ranged from ten months old to seven years old. 100% of the people asked were unable to guess all the children's ages correctly with 23% guessing only one child's age right. On average the children were thought to be between one and four years older than they actually were. In this episode we will here how people across all 3 roadshows reacted to the answers! If you are thinking about adopting and could now consider adopting a child over the age of 3 we would love to hear from you. You can visit our website which is www.adoptionnow.org.uk or you can call our Information Line on 01204 336096 where a member of the team will be able to answer ANY questions you may have about adoption and the adoption process. And don't forget, you can also book your free place at one our upcoming Online information events. 100% live and hosted by one of our social workers with an adopter guest speaker, these are the perfect place to start your adoption journey. You can book your free place by visiting www.adoptionnow.org.uk/events

This is a perennial question that is often asked: Help, I have an older child moving in. How do I make them comfortable and make the transition as easy as possible for us all? We offer 3 tips to help you welcome a new young person into your home.6 Parenting Tips for Older Child AdoptionSuggested Books on Older Child Adoption for Adoptive ParentsWelcoming a New Foster ChildSupport the showPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamily

This week we answer listener questions such as: How do I give "yesses" to an adult child to strengthen connection? Is younger child adoption easier than older child adoption? Can you explain why my child begs for hugs and then rejects them? Click here to download the transcript for this episode. Relevant Links The Connected Parent* by Dr. Karyn Purvis and Lisa C. Qualls Join Reclaim Compassion *This is an affiliate link

How does parenting an adopted teen differ from parenting teens that come to us through birth? What are some of the unique challenges adopted teens or young adults face? Check out our interview with Katie Naftzger, an LCSW, Korean adoptee, and the author of “Parenting in the Eye of the Storm: The Adoptive Parent's Guide to Navigating the Teen Years.”In this episode, we cover:Why is parenting an “adopted” teen any different from parenting a child who comes to you by birth?What issues related to adoption come to the front during the teen years?What issues that relate to early neglect or abuse, or loss come to the fore in adolescence?In your book, “Parenting in the Eye of the Storm: The Adoptive Parent's Guide to Navigating the Teen Years,” you talk about adoptive or foster parents taking a learning stance when working with teens. What is a learning stance?Many of our kids have experienced early life adversity and carry the scars of this early trauma. Parents often naturally feel bad for their teens because of this. How can these feelings of pity interfere with the healthy parenting of teens? When to step in and help and when to let our teens figure out how to handle things on their own?Some adoptive parents adopt out of a feeling of needing to save the child. How does the savior narrative impact parenting teens?Birth family issues:Birth parents searchHandling hard birth parent situationsIdentity formation-nature vs. nurtureNavigating an open adoption with teensIdentity formation as a transracial adoptee.Transitioning into adulthood.We hear that adopted teens are more likely to have mental health issues and more likely to commit suicide. How do adoptive parents support their adopted teens? This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:Weekly podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport the showPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamily

Things You Should Stop Worrying About This WeekNew Zealanders that will never be old enough to smoke legallyWhether a college classmate is secretly a 40-yr-old mom, masquerading as her 20-yr-old daughterThe death metal band named OmicronCongressional staffers bringing handguns to workMentioned in the EpisodeNobody Ages Out is the adoption organization Annabelle mentioned that was championed by the late Willie Garson. Nobody Ages Out (NAO) is a YGB-led movement to ensure that every young person in foster care will have a family long before they reach the dreaded age of 21 when they “age out” of care and are, in essence, left without family or any support.Tear Soup: A Recipe for Healing After Loss is the book Laura found helpful in the wake of her mother's passing.Episode SponsorDipsea StoriesDipsea is offering listeners of the show an extended 30-day free trial when you go to Dipsea Stories dot com slash TINY (or just click the link above)Call the Tiny Victories Hotline: (323) 285-1675We want folks to share their tiny victories on our hotline because, frankly, we'll assume we're just talking into the void every week and nothing matters. Prove us wrong. Did you finally do that thing you were putting off? Tiny victory! Reconnect with someone you haven't been in touch with for ages? Victory! We only ask that you try to keep messages to under a minute so we're able to play it on the show.If you prefer, you can record a tiny victory on your phone and then email us the audio. Email: TinyVictories@maximumfun.orgHOW TO @ USTwitter@GetTinyPod@LAGurwitch@ImLauraHouse@Swish (producer Laura Swisher)Instagram@GetTinyPod

In this episode we talk with a panel of four former foster youth to find out what it is like to be raised in foster care and what they wish foster parents knew about the experience.In this episode, we cover:What was the experience of being removed from your home and taken from your parents? Was there something that your foster parents could have done when you were first placed in the home to help alleviate some of the trauma?Did you feel fully included in your foster family? What can foster parents do to help the child feel included?This wasn't relevant when you were in foster care, but what are your thoughts on blurring out the foster child or putting stickers over their face when posting pics on social media?Relationships with the children of the foster family.Who did you feel like was on your side? Who could you go to if you needed help?Do you think enough was done to help your biological parents before you were removed?Do you think enough was done to help your biological parents with reunification? Or do you think they were given too many chances?Do you have pictures or keepsakes from the time you were in foster care? Would these have been or are they important to you now? What can the system do to make sure these are preserved?While I'm sure you carry the scars of your early life trauma, you have all become successful and--at least from the outside looking in—emotionally healthy adults. What factors contributed to this?Tips for foster parents.This podcast is produced  by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:Weekly podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamily Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

What issues should parents think about when adopting a relative (niece, cousin, sibling) from abroad. We talk with Mary Beth King, who has a Master of Science in Social Administration and is Frank Adoption Center's Executive Director, and with Katie Schultz, an International Adoption Specialist with Madison Adoption Associates.In this episode, we cover,What level of genetic relationship is required to call it a kinship adoption as well as what circumstances make a child eligible for an international kinship adoption, especially in the eyes of USCIS.At what age is a child no longer eligible for international kinship adoption?Changing relationship for both adopter and child – to go from the “cool, exotic US visitor” to everyday caregiver.Relationship with bio family in home country.Helping children navigate (and choose) the language of family – will they continue to refer to you as “aunt” or will you be “mom,” etc.Blending children by birth and this newly adopted child.Understanding that trauma and loss are still a part of the child's story even though they are remaining in their biological extended family.It can take a long time for relative adoptions to come to fruition, the child can be much older than when the family started the process and so helping families adjust to the fact that they may be bringing home an older child can be challenging.Helping families embrace pre-adoption education as necessary even though they have experience in parenting or they know this child and therefore don't need education on how to parent.Recognizing that the child's immigrant experience will be different than your own and how to separate the two.One parent not related and maybe not been an immigrant.Navigating two identities, for example - Preparing your child to embrace their identity not just as a Cameroonian, but also as a Black American.Managing expectations of cultural changes – Understanding that these children are very likely to take on cultural norms of America kids and teens which may be different than the parent-child relationship expectations of your country of originUnderstanding the importance of hobbies, sports, extracurricular activities, play time, etc. in addition (and sometimes even as backseat to) academics, especially as kids adjust to these big changes, make new friends, and heal from trauma and lossNavigating the American school system and understanding that grade levels don't always translate internationally. Accessing services to help the child transition.Adjusting to parenting as an older parent. Things may have changed since they parented last.This podcast is produced  by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:·         Weekly podcasts·         Weekly articles/blog posts·        Resource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

What are the 7 essential character traits that parents can teach their children to increase resiliency? In this episode we talk with Dr. Michelle Borba, an internationally renowned educational psychologist and author of Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine.In this episode, we cover:You paint a picture in your book of tweens, teens and young adults who are stressed, anxious, depressed, and lonesome. Why are our kids experiencing this?Importance of play.Importance of sleep.7 essential character traits of a child who will thrive both in childhood and adolescence but also into adulthood.Self-ConfidenceWhat is the difference between self confidence and self-esteem?How does parental praise factor into teaching self-confidence?How do you teach self-confidence? EmpathyWhy is empathy so important to resilience?How do you teach empathy or at the very least encourage it?How does our modern technology impact empathy?Self-ControlWhat is self-control in children?How do we teach self-control?IntegrityHow do you define integrity?How can we help our kids develop integrity?CuriosityWhy is curiosity important for thriving?What can we do or not do to encourage curiosity?PerseveranceWhat causes kids to give up?What can parents do to help?OptimismIs optimism an inborn temperament or one that can be taught?If you could leave parents with 5 actionable tips for raising a “thriver”, what would they be.This podcast is produced  by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:·         Weekly podcasts·         Weekly articles/blog posts·        Resource pages on all aspects of family building Please leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Call it co-parenting, shared parenting, or partnership parenting, the gist is the same: foster parents are expected to share the nurturing of a foster child with the birth parents to facilitate reunification whenever possible. Join us today to talk about shared parenting with Carrie Sgarlata, an educator, mom, foster mom, and foster parent trainer and recruiter; and Andrea Leaman, a social worker with the Foster Care Licensing and Placement Program with Children's Wisconsin Community Services and trainer in partnership parenting. In this episode, we covered:1.     Why is shared parenting best for the child? (less divided loyalty, foster parents can be a role model, less time in foster care, better behavior, majority of kids will return home and co-parenting makes that easier)2.     Building a relationship that begins when someone's child is removed is not easy. What are some of the emotions the birth parents are likely feeling when they first meet the foster parent? (fear, confusion, denial, anger, embarrassment, feeling that the authorities over-reacted, shame, grief, betrayal, sadness, uncertainty, taking their child away, loss of control)3.     How to build a relationship of co-parenting?a.     Start with compassion b.     Lower expectationsc.     Reassure them that you are only here to help not adopt their childd.     Show a picture of where the child is stayinge.     Don't take things personally? (be the more emotionally stable person) Realize that you are seeing these people at likely the worst moment of their life.f.      Go the extra mileg.     Language matters: refer to the child as their child.h.     Treat them with dignity and respect.i.      Go the extra mile to make it easier or less awkward for them.j.      Ask birth parents questions about the child, her likes, dislikes, fears, etc.k.     Send pictures, share artwork, share cute stories4.     Communication between birth and adoptive parents is key to success. Ideas for setting up good communication. How to communicate between visits?5.     How to handle visits to facilitate co-parenting?6.     How to overcome our own anger and judgement towards birth parents?7.     How to establish healthy boundaries?8.     Is it possible to do partnership parenting with incarcerated parents?9.     How to handle Social media10.  Becoming a parenting mentor to birth parents. What are some skills that birth parents may need help developing and how can foster parents help? (importance of routine, working with the school, discipline, normal child developmental stages, how to find community support)11.  How can we help birth parents shift their attitude towards the foster care system from existing to keep them from their children towards existing to help stabilize the family?12.  What if:a.     What if the birth parent abused the child?b.     What if the birth parents don't accept responsibility for what they did that caused the child to be removed?c.     What if the birth parent lies about what happened that resulted in the child being removed? This podcast is produced  by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Do you sometimes feel that self-care is an impossible goal when you are parenting kids who have experienced trauma. There isn't enough time in the day to do it all, much less take care of yourself. Or is there? Join us to talk about how to find time to take care of yourself. We will talk with Angelica Jones, MSW, Program Director of Intercountry Services and the Intensive Service Foster Care Recruiter and Trainer at Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services.In this episode, we cover:·      “Selfcare” or “take care of yourself” are overused but still vitally important terms for  foster, adoptive, and kinship parents.·      Why do all parents but especially parents of kids who’ve experienced trauma need to practice self-care?·      What is secondary trauma?·      Why are kids who’ve experience neglect, abuse and other childhood traumas harder to  parent?·      The busyness of foster and adoptive parenting.·      What are some of the barriers to taking care of ourselves as adoptive, foster or kinship parents?·      The importance of respite care and the barriers to parents using it.·      Practical ideas for providing self-care.·      Think small when thinking self-care.·      Ask for help and accept it when offered. If someone offers to help, say “yes” and suggest something specific. Ex. A meal on Wednesday night. Babysitting or taking a child to the movies once a month.·      Parent Support groupsThis podcast is produced  by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:·         Weekly podcasts·         Weekly articles/blog posts·        Resource pages on all aspects of family building Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

What's it like to have your world turned upside down when you become the parent to your grandchild, niece, or nephew? What are the hidden joys and challenges. In this podcast episode, we have a frank and open talk with a panel of kinship caregivers about their experience.In this episode, we cover: What has been one of the greatest joys you’ve experienced as a kinship caregiver?What has been one of the greatest challenges you’ve had in raising your grandchild or niece or nephew?How has your age played into your parenting experience with this child?How has caring for your grandchild affects your friendships and activities?How do you handle the dual roles of being a mom to your grandchild and a mom to your grandchild’s parent? How has kinship caregiving impacted your role as parent to your child? Have you had to set boundaries with your child to protect your grandchild?How have you handle if your grandchild’s parent has another child? Would you take that child in as well?How have you learned about technology, screens, video gaming, etc. in order to parent a child of this younger generation?This podcast is produced  by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:·         Weekly podcasts·         Weekly articles/blog posts·        Resource pages on all aspects of family building Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

How old is too young for a phone? Is gaming harmful to our kids? How much technology is too much. We talk with Dr. Jay Berk, a licensed psychologist and an expert in working with children and families. He is the author of two books: “A Parent’s Quick Guide to Electronic Addiction” and “Codeswitching: Social Skills in the Screen-Age”.In this episode, we cover:Parents from time immemorial have worried about the impact of the “new technology” and this goes back to our great great great grandparents worrying about the influence of novels to parents of the 50’s worry about too much time on the phone, to parents of the 80s worrying about too much TV, and on to the present where we worry about screen time, texting, and gaming. We parents are digital “immigrants” while our kids are digital natives. How does this dynamic present challenges?How to keep up with what our kids are doing?What are the general best practices for elementary aged kids using digital technology?What age should kids be given a phone?What are reasonable rules for phone use?      How do things change as our kids each around age 11 or 12 and on into their teen yearsHow important is the use of digital media to socialize for this generation?When should parents worry?Is the child getting enough sleep?Are they eating well?Are they getting enough exercise?Are they doing well in school?Do they have real life friends?If so, they are probably just fine.What are the signs that our kids may be too involved with digital technology or gamingHow much screen time is too much for tweens? For teens?Do different types of technology have different risks and benefits? Internet? Gaming? Porn?What are some reasonable rules for families to set in regards to technology, screen time, and gaming?  How to get buy-in from our tweens and teens?App-tell kidA challenge particular to families adopting or fostering older children or teens is that often our kids come to us with having had little supervision or rules about internet use? How can we establish healthy habits when the rules are new to them?Resources: A Parent’s Quick Guide to Electronic Addiction by Dr. Jay BerkCenter for Parent and Teen Communication: A Fact-Not-Fear Approach to Parenting In the Digital Age https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aNtRhYfA3kCreating a Family’s Navigating the Internet with Adopted or Foster Tweens and Teens https://creatingafamily.org/adoption-category/adoption-blog/navigating-the-internet-with-adopted-or-foster-tweens-and-teens/This podcast is produced  by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Bringing foster children into your family may impact the kids already in your home—both in positive and potentially negative ways. We will provide suggestions on how to integrate new foster children into your home as seamlessly as possible. Our guest expert is Dr. Eshele Williams, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, who brings her professional expertise with counseling foster families as well as her personal experience as being a biological child in a family that fostered many children in her childhood.In this episode, we cover:Positive benefits of fostering on children already in the family.Possible challenging issues children in the family might face when foster children join the family.Benefits of preparing children in the family for the realities of fostering.This podcast is produced  by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:·         Weekly podcasts·         Weekly articles/blog posts·        Resource pages on all aspects of family building Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Grandparents raising grandkids or aunts and uncles raising nephews and nieces is often complicated and comes with a mix of challenges and blessings. What are the unique issues that kinship caregivers face and what do they need to succeed. We talk about these issues with LaNette Jacobs, an aunt raising her two nephews; Marla Galvan, a licensed clinical social worker and Foster Care Strategic Consultant for Child Welfare Information Gateway; Dr. Ali Caliendo, the Executive Director of Foster Kinship, a nonprofit support of kinship families in Nevada; and Jaia Lent, the Deputy Executive Director at Generations United where she provides direction for the National Center on Grandfamilies.In this episode, we covered:Kinship care, also often called grandparent care or grandparent-led families, is used to care for children whose parents are unable. And while we will often use the term grandparent, we fully recognize that it is often aunts, uncles, cousins, and sometimes other siblings that are stepping up to care for these children. Kinship care can be permanent or temporary, financially subsidized or not, formal or informal. Kinship care at its best helps to maintain family connections and cultural traditions that can minimize the trauma of family separation. Grandparents raising grandkids or aunts and uncles raising nephews and nieces is often complicated and comes with a mix of challenges and blessings.There is often a blurred line between being a family member and assuming responsibility for a relative's children. Is your role the grandparent or the parent and if parent, to whom is your first allegiance—to your child or your grandchild.It’s also a blessing. It’s a do over, a chance to be fully involved in a child’s life again and make a difference in the next generation.Why is raising your grandkids different from raising your own kids the first time around?Understanding emotions. Guilt, shame, anger, distrust, loss, loneliness, grief. And these feelings are often felt by both the parent and the kinship caregiver.Managing boundaries.CommunicationBeing honest about your needs and the kids needsPutting the children’s needs first.How to help with reunification?Try to show empathy towards the challenges that the parents are struggling with. Don’t put down birth parents, especially in front of the kids.Assure children that their parents love them.Tell parents that you know that they love their child.Don’t put the children in the middle.Make visits a conflict free zone—if possible.Have adult conversations on working out disagreements away from the kids.Support change in the parents.Support groups.Not financially prepared for the addition of kids.Parenting kids who’ve experienced trauma.Legal resources to be in the best position to advocate for the child.This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:· Weekly podcasts· Weekly articles/blog posts· Resource pages on all aspects of family building Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

When Belinda Ernst took her first medical mission trip to Haiti, she had no idea how God would use that trip to change the trajectory of her family. It wasn't long before the Ernst's were considering adopting a child from the country they came to love--the small country of Burundi in Africa.Charlie and Belinda already had two biological children, Alli and Sam. Alli was an 8th grader when her parents went to Burundi to bring home her new brother, Roger. Sam was in 6th grade. In this episode, I am joined by Alli, Sam, and Roger, as they talk about their perspectives on the family's adventure of adoption. RESOURCES:Mission PossibleAmerica World AdoptionRoger’s Gotcha Day video

Have you ever wondered why a specific behavior by your child drives you crazy? What do we as parents bring to the relationship that could be part of the problem? We talk about how a parent's history with attachment and trauma impacts our parenting with Dr. Patrice Berry, a licensed clinical psychologist with specialized training in adoption and foster care and over 15 years of clinical experience. In this episode, we cover:· Research has shown that our attachment style with our own parents is the biggest predictor of the attachment style we’ll have with our child.· What do we mean by attachment style? Attachment style refers to the internal “working models” we develop of how relationships function. They influence the way we relate to important people in our lives. The attachments we form in our early relationships with parents or caretakers can have an impact on our feelings of insecurity, anxiety, fear, avoidance, and satisfaction in our closest relationships throughout our lives.· A detailed tool has been developed to determine our attachment styles. Adult-Attachment Inventory (AAI). In the inventory, done by a professional with specific training, adults are asked to describe their childhoods, and it is in the telling of their stories that attachment styles are assessed.· What are the types of attachment styles that have been identified in adults?· Are our attachment styles fixed in childhood by how we were parented or can they change through growth and work on our part? · To further complicate the parenting picture, it’s important to remember that foster and adopted children come to us having experienced some degree of trauma and a set of experiences from their own family of origin or previous care settings that did not develop in the family system of their adoptive family and may contrast sharply.· All parents are susceptible to being “triggered” by things in their past and, consciously or unconsciously, having this shape their behavior. A child’s behavior can certainly be such a trigger.· Examples of situations where a parent’s past trauma and attachment style may interfere with their being the best parent to their child.· How can we move toward a more secure attachment style?This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:· Weekly podcasts· Weekly articles/blog posts· Resource pages on all aspects of family buildingCreating a Family also has an active presence on many social media platforms. Please like or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

When Belinda Ernst took her first medical mission trip to Haiti, she had no idea how God would use that trip to change the trajectory of her family. Belinda is a pulmonary Physician Assistant. After multiple trips, her husband, Charlie, decided to take two of his basketball players with him to experience the orphans of Haiti for himself. Charlie is the Head Basketball Coach at the University of Findlay.It wasn't long before the Ernst's were considering adopting a child from the country they came to love. With Haiti adoptions taking 4-5 years, they were introduced to the small country of Burundi in Africa. Burundi, they were told, was very much like Haiti.After mounds of paperwork, Charlie & Belinda left their two biological teenage children at home with family to complete the adoption of their new son, Roger.In this episode, Charlie & Belina Ernst join me to share the details of what led them to adopt, and the highs and lows of that process. Grab a box of tissues and settle in to listen to their truly amazing story of God's plan for their family.RESOURCES:Mission PossibleAmerica World AdoptionRoger’s Gotcha Day video

Does it feel like your adopted or foster child is sabotaging the holidays? Are there more tantrums, sullenness, and anxiety during the holiday season? In this episode, we explore why holidays are difficult for kids who have been exposed to trauma and what to do about it. We talk with Rebeccca Robotham, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Beehive Counseling & Wellness in Connecticut. She is also an adoptee and former foster child.In this episode, we cover:There are many sources of trauma for children, and many adopted and foster children have experienced trauma before they come to our homes. Trauma can include neglect, prenatal exposure, abuse, domestic violence, and the actual act of being removed from your parents.How can trauma impact children both physically and emotionally?What is it about the holidays that makes it hard for kids with trauma? (change in routine, lots of people, bringing up memories, over-stimulation, change in diet, distracted parents, build up of anticipation, let down after the fact…)What type of behaviors might you see? (more tantrums, dysregulation, “sabotaging” the holidays, sibling bickering, depression, sullenness, anxiety, …)How can families do the holidays differently to help kids who have experienced trauma?Trauma in adoption and foster careAdoptive Parenting/Foster Parenting TipsSupport the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Do you dread the teen years? Do you want to keep your kids little forever or go back to that sweet stage when they were still in footy pajamas? Listen to this fantastic interview with Dr. Ken Ginsburg to help you embrace the wonderful years between 11 and 20. Dr. Ginsburg is the Co-Founder and Director of Programs at the Center for Parent and Teen Communication and Professor of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He is the author of 5 award-winning books including: Building Resilience in Children and Teens: Giving Kids Roots and Wings.Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Have you ever thought about international adoption. Are you terrified of having to decide what types of medical or emotional conditions you would accept. This is the show for you. We interview Dr. Judith Eckerle, Medical Director of the Adoption Medicine Clinic at the University of Minnesota to help demystify the common issues she sees in kids adopted from abroad. She is also an adult transracial international adoptee.Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Adopting tweens and teens brings special joys and challenges. We talk with Bryan Post, a Child Behavior and Adoption expert and founder of the Post Institute. He is an adopted and former foster child. Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

International Adoption Spotlight: Thailand!This weeks guest, Lindsey Thompson and her husband adopted their son from Thailand a couple years ago, and now they are adopting siblings, also from Thailand. So with 3 children from Thai adoption, Lindsey has incredible amount of information and stories to share about the process. Adoption Hacks Host, Kandace and her husband have recently shifted their 2nd adoption from India to Thailand. During that process Lindsey was an incredible resource when finding more out about Thailand adoption. So of course Lindsey needed to come on the show and share with you all as well! Send in your Questions for next episodes Q&A! adoptionhacksinfo@gmail.comInstagram and FacebookAdoptionHacksMusic: DrummerBoy by MisterWives

God has given today's guest Alison and her husband, Stephen, an amazing story of redemption through adoption. Listen as she shares her heart for Uganda, older children who need a forever home, and keeping biological families together if at all possible. Listen to what happened when this family just kept saying yes after yes as God introduced new opportunities!

Parents are often afraid to foster or adopt a child who has experienced sexual abuse, but children can and do heal from this type of abuse. We talk about what parents can do to help the child heal with Dr. Jennifer Shaw a Clinical Psychologist with the Gill Institute for Trauma Recovery who specializes in the assessment and treatment of trauma in children, especially those who present with sexual behavior problems.Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

When your teen's chronological age doesn't match their social/emotional age, it can be scary to think about launching them into the world. This week, Dr. Kris Kittle, co-author of Wisdom from Adoptive Families: Joys and Challenges in Older Child Adoption*, answers questions crowd-sourced from you about preparing your older child for adulthood. Relevant Links: Wisdom from Adoptive Families: Joys and Challenges in Older Child Adoption* by Kris Kittle PhD and Kelly Reed PhD Adoption Survival Website Connect with Kris on Facebook God's Design For Sex Series* The Focus on the Family® Guide to Talking with Your Kids about Sex: Honest Answers For Every Age* The Importance of Allowing Our Children to Struggle - blog post *affiliate link

When your teen's chronological age doesn't match their social/emotional age, it can be scary to think about launching them into the world. This week, Dr. Kris Kittle, co-author of Wisdom from Adoptive Families: Joys and Challenges in Older Child Adoption*, answers questions crowd-sourced from you about preparing your older child for adulthood. Relevant Links: Wisdom from Adoptive Families: Joys and Challenges in Older Child Adoption* by Kris Kittle PhD and Kelly Reed PhD Adoption Survival Website Connect with Kris on Facebook God's Design For Sex Series* The Focus on the Family® Guide to Talking with Your Kids about Sex: Honest Answers For Every Age* The Importance of Allowing Our Children to Struggle - blog post *affiliate link

What are the special needs common to international adoption. What special needs do we see from specific countries. We speak with Dr. Kimara Gustafson, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Minnesota and a pediatrician at their Adoption Medicine Clinic. She also has her Masters in Public Health.Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Host of The Adoptive Mom Podcast Alex Fittin is with us today! Alex shares her own personal journey of adoption and how it led her to resourcing and supporting others through her podcast. Typically Alex is interviewing guests for The Adoptive Mom but today she gets to share her story! We dive into topics like older child adoption, RAD and family dynamics. And we also look talk about the importance of counseling and finding support. Podcast: The Adoptive MomInstagram: TheAdoptiveMomFacebook: The Adoptive Mom Podcast

How can adoptive parents help their internationally adopted children develop a healthy cultural, racial, and ethnic identity? We talked with Dr. Hollee McGinnis, an assistant professor in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work who focuses on mental health and identity for international adopted people. She is also an intercountry adoptee from South Korea.Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

How do you adopt from foster care? What is the process, what is required, and how to begin? We talk with Kim Phagan-Hansel, managing editor of "The Chronicle of Social Change" and the editor of "Fostering Families Today." Kim is also the editor of two books, The Foster Parenting Toolbox and The Kinship Parenting Toolbox.Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Parenting adopted teens can be fun and challenging. What are some tips and tricks for parenting adopted teens and tweens? Host Dawn Davenport, Executive Director of Creating a Family, the national adoption & foster care education and support nonprofit, interviews Katie Naftzger, LICSW, a psychotherapist that specializes in adoption and a transracial adoptee adopted from Korea.Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

What type of assistance or subsidies are available for parents adopting a child from foster care? Who determines the amount of a monthly adoption subsidy and how can parents negotiate for a fair amount? Host Dawn Davenport, Executive Director of Creating a Family, the national foster care & adoption education and support nonprofit, interviews Josh Kroll, Project Coordinator for the Adoption Subsidy Resource Center at the North American Council on Adoptable Children.Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Host Dawn Davenport, Executive Director of Creating a Family, the national infertility & adoption education and support nonprofit, interviews Dr. Ross Greene, clinical child psychologist who was on the faculty at Harvard Medical School for 20+ years, and is the author of "Raising Human Beings" and "The Explosive Child". Creating a Family has many free resources related to this topic on our website atwww.CreatingaFamily.org. Please leave us a review on iTunes. Thanks. Share on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A//creatingafamily.org/adoption-category/practical-tips-for-helping-kids-de-escalate/ Click to Tweet: https://twitter.com/home?status=New%20show%3A%20Practical%20Tips%20for%20Helping%20Kids%20De-Escalate%20https%3A//creatingafamily.org/adoption-category/practical-tips-for-helping-kids-de-escalate/ Show Highlights: https://creatingafamily.org/adoption-category/practical-tips-for-helping-kids-de-escalate/ Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

"Don't let special needs scare you, start the process and you will be equipped for your child, even if you don't know if at the beginning of the process, you'll end up with everything you need" Amanda Kick joins Kandace to share her story of adopting her son from South Africa. She walks us through the timeline and gives us a glimpse of meeting her son for the 1st time and their 6 week stay in South Africa. Amanda shares how they widened their initial acceptance of special needs when they saw their son who has cerebral palsy and is deaf, on the waiting children list. The joy this family has now that they are together shines through this episode!

Jamie talks with fellow adoptive mom, Kristin Berry, about older child adoption + sharing your child's story with them + connecting with birth parents.

MaryCarol Skaggs continues discussing older child attachment in this 2 part episode. We discuss teaching your children how and when to tell their story, advocating for them in their schools and incorporating therapy including neurofeedback. Here are the links discussed in todays episode: W.I.S.E. Up! http://amzn.to/2EQ1wRJ Connected Child http://amzn.to/2BEIADF Neurofeedback https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxHR7InSQ1c&t=134s Parenting Coach Christine Moers https://www.youtube.com/user/christinemoers

In this 2 part episode, MaryCarol Skaggs shares her personal story of adopting 4 older children from Colombia. She shares practical ways to build trust, work through language barriers, parenting teens with trauma and many more insights. Stay tuned for part 2!

Host Dawn Davenport, Executive Director of Creating a Family, the national infertility & adoption education and support nonprofit, interviews Kimberly Offutt, a social worker at Bethany Christian Services and Erin Q. Nasmyth, a licensed clinical social worker with Hopscotch Adoptions. Creating a Family has many free resources related to this topic on our website at www.CreatingaFamily.org.  Please leave us a review on iTunes. Thanks. Click to Tweet: http://ctt.ec/q6ahW Share on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A//creatingafamily.org/adoption-category/joys-challenges-sibling-adoption/ Show Highlights: https://creatingafamily.org/adoption-category/joys-challenges-sibling-adoption/ Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Host Dawn Davenport, Exec. Director of Creating a Family, the national infertility & adoption education and support nonprofit, interviews adoption therapist Carol Lozier, author of The Adoptive & Foster Parent Guide. Creating a Family has many free resources related to this topic on our website at www.CreatingaFamily.org.  Please leave us a review on iTunes. Thanks. Click to Tweet: http://ctt.ec/Bv4K1 Share on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A//creatingafamily.org/adoption-category/works-healing-loss-trauma-adoption/ Show Highlights: https://creatingafamily.org/adoption-category/works-healing-loss-trauma-adoption/ Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Host Dawn Davenport, Executive Director of Creating a Family, the national infertility & adoption education and support nonprofit, interviews Dr. Richard Barth, Dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Maryland School of Social Work and a prodigious adoption researcher and author. For a discussion of this show, go to our blog tomorrow http://creatingafamily.org/blog/.  Creating a Family has many free resources related to this topic on our website at www.CreatingaFamily.org.  Please leave us a review on iTunes. Thanks. Click to Tweet. Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Host Dawn Davenport, Executive Director of Creating a Family, the national infertility & adoption education and support nonprofit, interviews 2 adoption social workers on helping to prepare older kids for what it means to be adopted. For a discussion of this show, go to our blog tomorrow http://creatingafamily.org/blog/.  Creating a Family has many free resources related to this topic on our website at www.CreatingaFamily.org.  Please leave us a review on iTunes. Thanks. Click to Tweet. Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Host Dawn Davenport, Executive Director of Creating a Family, the national infertility & adoption education and support nonprofit, interviews the authors of a new book: Adopting Older Children: A Practical Guide to Adopting and Parenting Kids Over Age 4. For a discussion of this show, go to our blog tomorrow http://creatingafamily.org/blog/.  Creating a Family has many free resources related to this topic on our website.  Please leave us a review on iTunes. Thanks.   Click to Tweet: https://clicktotweet.com/basic/JK4BH Share on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A//creatingafamily.org/adoption-category/adopting-older-kids-a-practical-guide/ Show Highlights: https://creatingafamily.org/adoption-category/adopting-older-kids-a-practical-guide/ Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

All children can experience trauma. What is the difference between those kids who survive and maybe even thrive and those who fall apart? How is this relevant to adoptive parents.  Host Dawn Davenport, Executive Director of Creating a Family, the national infertility & adoption education and support nonprofit, interviews Sue Badeau, a nationally known speaker, writer and consultant. She and her husband, Hector, are lifetime parents of twenty-two children (20 adopted) and foster parents to more than 50 children. They are authors of the book Are We There Yet: The Ultimate Road Trip Adopting and Raising 22 Kids. Sue has worked in the field of child welfare for over 30 years and has developed curriculum and training for adoption social workers and parents. For a discussion of this show, go to our blog tomorrow http://creatingafamily.org/blog/.  Creating a Family has many free resources related to this topic on our website at www.CreatingaFamily.org.  If you enjoyed this show, we would very much appreciate you leaving us a review on iTunes. Either go to this website (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id266386337) or if you have iTunes on your phone, tablet or computer, simply type in "Creating a Family", click on Ratings/Reviews, and click on the # of stars. It only takes a moment and it really helps others find us. Thanks. Show Highlights Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Children adopted from foster care or from an orphanage abroad have likely experienced some level of trauma from abuse, neglect, or malnutrition. What can adoptive parents do to help? Host Dawn Davenport will interview Dr. Bruce Perry, child psychiatrist and founder of Child Trauma Academy, and author of The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog. Dr. Perry has been consulted on how to help children involved with the following high profile incidents involving traumatized children such as the Branch Davidian siege in Waco (1993), the Oklahoma City bombing (1995), the Columbine school shootings (1999), the September 11th terrorist attacks (2001), Hurricane Katrina (2005), the FLDS polygamist sect (2008), the earthquake in Haiti (2010), the tsunami in Tohoku Japan (2011) and the Sandy Hook Elementary school shootings (2012).  foster care adoption, international adoption, special needs adoption, older child adoption, toddler adoption, orphan care Blog summary of the show and highlights can be found here:   Blog summary of the show   Highlights   More Creating a Family resources on parenting after adoption can be found here. Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Not all adoptions are forever. Some fail. Recent reports by NBC News, the Today Show, and Reuters focused on the devastating outcomes for some kids and families, but left unanswered how often adoptions fail, what types of adoptions are at the most risk for adoption disruption or adoption dissolution, and what to do to prevent them from failing.   Host Dawn Davenport will interview a panel of adoption experts: Dr. Trudy Festinger, professor at the Silver School of Social Work at New York University, and leading researcher on adoption disruptions; Stephen Hayes, adoption attorney who has handled over 3,500 adoption cases, including many adoption dissolutions, and a fellow and past Vice President of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys; and Regina Kupecky, psycho-therapist specializing in adoption and attachment,and co-author of Adopting The Hurt Child and Parenting the Hurt Child. adoption, adopting from foster care, international adoption, adopting older children, attachment disorders  Blog summary of the show and highlights can be found here:  Blog summary of the show  Highlights  More Creating a Family resources on donor insemination can be found here.Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Should you adopt out of birth order? What risks should parents be aware of. How can adoptive parents make it easier for their children if they adopt a child older than one of their existing children. Our guest will be David Brodzinsky, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Clinical & Developmental Psychology at Rutgers University and currently, Research Director of the Donaldson Adoption Institute in NYC.  He is internationally known for his research, training, and clinical work in the area of adoption and has published five books, including Being Adopted: The Lifelong Search for Self. foster care adoption, adopting older children, international adoption, orphan care, special need adoption, Blog summary of the show and highlights can be found here:  Blog summary of the show  Highlights   More Creating a Family resources on adopting out of birth order can be found here.Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)