How to Normalize Adoption for the Child? - Weekend Wisdom
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Question: My wife and I adopted a newborn baby almost 3 years ago, and we could not be happier. Now that he is getting a little older, he is talking and starting to understand things. My question is, how can we best normalize his adoption with him? I know it is better for kids to grow up with everyone being open with him and his adoption so it feels like now is a good time to start. But I am not sure how to that with an almost 3-year-old. For context, we do not have any contact with the birth family. We send updates and pictures to the agency, but they have not expressed interest in having contact with us. This always seemed like an avenue to start that conversation (you have a birth family and an adoptive family). Without that, I’m not sure how start talking to him about this. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Resources:Talking with Kids About Adoption (Resource page)Talking with Kids About Birthparents (Suggested Books)Adoptee Voices (Resource page)Support the showPlease leave us a rating or review. 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
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Raising Terrific Kids in Terrifying Times
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Are you looking for practical strategies to help your kids face the challenges of a scary world? Join us for a conversation with Melinda Wenner Moyer. She is an author, contributing editor at Scientific American, a regular contributor to The New York Times, and a former faculty member at New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. Her new book is titled Hello, Cruel World: Science-Based Strategies for Raising Terrific Kids in Terrifying Times.In this episode we discuss:Why is raising kids in today’s world is so challenging and potentially terrifying for parents.What are the fears kids are feeling in today’s culture?What are some of the clues parents and caregivers should look for to tell us our kids might be struggling with fear or anxiety?How does a parent or caregiver’s fear impact our ability to raise our kids in what feels like a terrifying world?How do we balance protecting our kids from the world with equipping them to handle the hard things about today’s world?When and how do we start “lifting the shield”?The book’s framework for raising kids in these challenging times includes these three pillars: coping mechanisms, connection techniques, and cultivation practices.Coping MechanismsHow to manage anxiety and fear.Self-regulationEmotional literacyExamples of coping strategies for one or two agesConnection TechniquesParent-child attachment as a protective factorImportance of being emotionally available and validatingRoutines, rituals, and conversations that build trustExamples of fun and playful connection techniquesCultivation PracticesHow to practice optimism, gratitude, curiosity, and moral reasoningEncouraging healthy risk-taking and autonomyExamples for how we parents can model ethical and resilient behaviorWhat additional or special considerations for those of us raising kids impacted by trauma? How can we adapt some of these strategies?Examples of how a parent’s approach should evolve as their child grows in age or ability by age/stage:Infants & Toddlers (0–3)Preschool (3–5)Elementary (6–11)Tweens & Teens (12–18)Resources for Parents & Caregivers:Practical Tips to Help Your Kids Manage StressPractical Ideas to Boost Your Child’s Social-Emotional LearningSupport the showPlease leave us a rating or review. 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
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Reunification of Foster Child Logistics - Weekend Wisdom
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Question: My 15-year-old foster daughter, “Anna”, is scheduled to move back in with her mom at the end of the school year. She is currently on my phone plan. I also pay for her access to Spotify, Netflix, and Hulu. Should I ask her mother now how she wants to transition Anna onto her phone plan? Do you recommend continuing to pay for a 3-6 month period until the mother figures it out? Should I just keep her on my account for Spotify, Netflix, and Hulu as long as it doesn't cost me anything extra? She also has some of her own furniture that doesn't fit in my car. Should Anna's mother be responsible for getting those pieces to their home? She is going to live almost 3 hours away. Resources:Working with Birth Parent's for the Child's Best InterestWorking as Part of the Foster Care TeamFormer Foster Care Youth VoicesSupport the showPlease leave us a rating or review. 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
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Common Special Needs in International Adoption
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Are you considering international adoption? If so, this interview will help you decide which special needs are a good fit for your family. We'll talk with Dr. Dana Johnson, MD, PhD. He is a Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Neonatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Dr. Johnson founded the International Adoption Clinic at the University of Minnesota. He is a dad and granddad by birth and adoption.In this episode, we discuss:International adoption has become overwhelmingly a special needs adoption program from all countries. Prospective adoptive parents are required to fill out a form stating what special needs they will accept.Most common special needs. What are they and how involved is the post-adoption care? Cerebral PalsyHeart issuesCraniofacialCleft lip/palateDevelopmental Special NeedsAutismDown syndromeDevelopmental DelaysHepatitis B and CHIVOrthopedic special needsClubfootLimb or digit deficienciesAlbinismHearing lossVision LossUrogenitalKidney abnormalitiesUrethra issuesBladder issuesImperforate anusAmbiguous genitaliaEmotional/TraumaOlder kidsSexual AbusePrenatal ExposureHow can adoptive parents support and advocate for children discriminated against due to physical, cognitive, and other disabilities?What type of special needs do you see from the major placing countries?IndiaColombiaBulgariaUkraineSouth KoreaHaitiAfrican countriesSupport the showPlease leave us a rating or review. 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
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Tips to Manage Bedwetting and Stooling Accidents - Weekend Wisdom
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Question: A listener wrote in asking about encopresis and enuresis. These tips are for handling bedwetting or soiling accidents once your child is successfully potty trained.Resources:Bedwetting and Related Toileting Issues (Article)Helping Children Heal from TraumaSleep IssuesSupport the showPlease leave us a rating or review. 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
About Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption, Foster & Kinship Care
Are you thinking about adopting or fostering a child? Confused about all the options and wondering where to begin? Or are you an adoptive or foster parent or kinship caregiver trying to be the best parent possible to this precious child? This is the podcast for you! Every week, we interview leading experts for an hour, discussing the topics you care about in deciding whether to adopt/foster or how to be a better parent. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are the 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, and resource pages on all aspects of family building at our website, CreatingaFamily.org. We also have an active presence on many social media platforms. Please like or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
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