The Honestly Adoption Blog
Insights, strategies, and personal stories to encourage you on the parenting journey!
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How Can I Help My Child Process The Hard Parts Of Their Story?
At some point or another, children with a trauma history will begin to recount, remember, or talk about the hards parts of their story. How do we help them process through this? Here are some steps…
What #BlackLivesMatter Means To A White Mom.
We’re a multi-racial family of 10. The events of these past few weeks have shaken us to the core. They’ve prompted fear in our children and left us broken and on edge as their parents. This is what #BlackLivesMatter means to me…
How Will Understanding My Child’s Trauma Help Me As A Parent?
We have said this repeatedly over the past 5 years. When you gain an understanding of how trauma has changed your child, your entire parenting journey will change. Here’s why..
How Can I Empower My Child To Process The Good Parts Of Their Story?
Celebration seems like a normal part of our humanity, but for children who have experienced great loss, the ability to celebrate isn’t a given. How can we empower our children to process the good parts of their story?
How To Follow A Safety Plan In Public Without Embarrassment
Following a safety plan in your home is fairly cut and dry. You establish the plan, you follow the plan, and often the plan is discussed openly amongst you and your children. But that changes when you’re in public. How do you continue to follow your plan and not embarrass your children?
Is It Possible To Overdo Therapeutic Parenting?
Once we discover therapeutic parenting strategies, we go all-in. It’s a lightbulb moment. But is it possible to overdo it, or apply the strategies so much that they become enabling? Here’s some perspective…
How Can I Encourage Family And Friends To Support Our Parenting Style?
Helping family and close friendships understand you and how you parent can be tricky. They mean well, but may not fully understand how to support you. But there are ways you can encourage them and help them gain a healthy understanding.
11 Things Children Who Have Experienced Trauma Need The Most
It can be a challenge to understand what children with a trauma history need the most. Especially since trauma often leaves a child unable to express this in a healthy way. Out of this, there are some crucial needs that we as caregivers must be aware of.
In The Middle Of A Crisis, Our Families Are Strong!
We are living in unprecedented times right now. Some of us parents are being tested to the limits of what we thought was possible. And yet, we are surviving. Step by step, day by day. There’s a reason why…
How To Empower Your Children To Grieve
Perhaps this post is timely given the current, and rapid moving, changes our children are navigating through right now. The fact is, our children carry a lot of loss with them. How do we empower them to grieve this?
What Do You Do When Your Child Lies About Everything?
Lying. It’s so frustrating to deal with as a parent. We want to engage, and battle until we can squeak the truth out of our children. But it’s often futile. How do we respond, and what can we do, when our children constantly lie?
Disney Pixar Onward Inspires And Brings The Tears!
Earlier this week, my daughter and I had the opportunity to pre-screen the Disney Pixar film Onward. In today’s post, I’m giving you my full take on the film.
What An Airplane Taught Me About Self Care
Sometimes we find powerful applications for life in the strangest places. Like an airplane. Where we’ve gained a simple, obvious, yet profound illustration for self care!
Should You Foster Or Adopt Out Of Birth Order?
It’s something prospective parents, or those considering the journey again, have wondered: Should I or should I not foster or adopt out of birth order? Here are some thoughts…
“I’m Not Called To Foster Or Adopt. How Can I Help?”
The foster and adoptive parenting journey may not be for everyone, and that’s okay. But everyone can do something. If you know someone who has asked this question, or you have wondered this, here are some ways you can help…
What Can I Do When My Child Needs Discipline?
We know that children with a trauma history do not respond well to traditional parenting methods, especially when it comes to discipline. How then do you discipline and set boundaries with them when it’s necessary?
Should I Talk To My Child About Their Past Trauma?
It’s a question many of us have wrestled over on this journey. Should we or should we not talk to our child about his or her past trauma? Here are some thoughts…
How To Establish A Solid Safety Plan In Your Home
Safety plans are not an abnormal part of the foster and adoptive journey. In fact, they’re necessary for many reasons. But how do you create and maintain a safety plan that keeps everyone in your home safe?
To The Parent Ready To Give Up: “I See You!”
This is a guest post by Jennie Owens. Jennie and her husband, Lynn, have parented over 100 children and worked with thousands of families. Together, they founded Forever Homes, a non-profit organization that seeks to support, encourage, and empower foster and adoptive families. Jennie has an MA in Education and extensive training in trauma-informed care and therapeutic parenting. She provides trainings at conferences, schools, retreats, and workshops.
How To Manage Your Child’s Food Insecurity
We are in the middle of the Holiday season which means Christmas parties, family gatherings, presents, and food. Lots of it. This may be a trigger for your child if he or she has a history of hunger or malnourishment. How do you successfully navigate this with your child?
