How important is finding your identity, discovering your ancestry, and preserving the family on the foster and adoption journey? Very! Just ask someone who’s walked this road personally. On our latest episode we spend time with former foster youth, adult adoptee, and advocate Tina Bauer.
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint!” used to describe everything from exercise, to home improvement, to building your savings account. It’s even been used to describe parenting. For the most part, it’s a logical statement that helps us as humans to think long-term about life. But what do you do when you’re parenting a child who can’t think long term?
In an era of “fake news,” distorted viewpoints, racial division, and short-sighted history lessons, it has never been more important to gain a well-rounded perspective of our history as a country (if you’re in the US). That’s why we’re excited to welcome Marcie Walker, from Mockingbird History Lessons to The Honestly Adoption Podcast.
For many parents on the foster and adoption journey, handling their child’s anxiety, meltdowns, or constant body movement, can feel a bit overwhelming. But there is hope, and more importantly, a solution!
When we used to do in-person events (hello COVID!) the topic of biological family relationships often came up. And in many of those conversations with conference attendees, we’ve been asked, “What should I do if I feel afraid of a biological family member?”
There’s no doubt about it: the foster care journey is often difficult. From an inefficient system, to prolonged cases, to overworked case managers, it often leaves care givers bewildered, exhausted, and ready to give up. How can parents on this journey build resiliency, and the will to keep going?
Our children’s trauma history can drastically disrupt the development of a health attachment with you. In fact, it’s something we may spend their entire childhood, or adolescence, working to rebuild. But what about their relationships outside of our care? Or their future relationships? How do we empower them to recognize and build healthy attachments with others, who are trusted and safe?
“Trauma colors everything.” -Andie Coston. Wow! As caregivers of children who have experienced trauma in their past, you know how true this statement is. The question then is, how can we do the best job possible in caring for our children?
