Parenting is hard, and so is learning to self-regulate as a parent. It would be difficult to find a parent who disagrees with that statement. However, good news is embedded in that statement, too. Parenting is hard because you’re trying to be a good parent. You’re not just meeting your children’s physical needs; you’re meeting …
Adoption
I remember working with an 8-year-old boy named Brandon in counseling. Brandon had spent about two years in foster care before he was adopted by his foster family. For his adoptive parents, the adoption was a joyous occasion. They loved Brandon dearly and were so excited to have him join their family permanently. They posted …
When we think of a precious child, we should first start with a definition of the word. Precious translates from a Hebrew word that can mean dear, expensive, costly, heavy, or grievous. We were all created in the image of God, which on its own makes us precious. The reality is that sometimes children with …
When I think of how to support adoptive and foster kids, I remember working with a 9-year-old boy named Nathan in counseling. Nathan was in foster care. He had bounced around a few different foster care homes over the years but had been in a mostly stable and supportive situation for the past year. His …
Adoption is often misunderstood thus there are myths surrounding it. While these myths can be understandable, they are, in fact, untrue.
I am a firm believer that one of the most challenging things in life is to feel alone in your pain. This has certainly been true in my own life. There were times I desperately wanted to hear someone say, “Same here.” I needed that level of emotional support. About 15 years ago, I got …
The process of how to adopt a baby can be overwhelming. There are decisions to make prayerfully, organizations to vet, and many perspectives to consider. It’s approaching a new chapter much like starting a marriage– with hearts wide open, support, and education to make a strong foundation for your family’s future. I am a birth …
When your child learns differently, school can become an unrelenting daily struggle that eats away at the emotional strength of even the most resilient child. Every day, he hears messages from teachers, parents, friends, and even himself to “try harder” and “do his best.” Despite his efforts, he continues to fall further behind the other …
If you’re hoping to adopt a child, becoming a foster parent is often a great way to bring into your home a child who may, under the right circumstances, become a part of your family. Each year, around 50,000 children are adopted from foster care, and there are over 100,000 children in foster care waiting …
Elisha sat across from me in a booth at a local restaurant, as we talked about the impact of foster care on her biological children. “Why is my six-year-old daughter, Alise behaving just like my new foster daughter, Sara, who is four? She is throwing tantrums and now is quite oppositional and defiant, just like …