Are there big behaviors related to trauma and overwhelm in your home? Click to “Intentionally Simplifying to Address Trauma-Related Behaviors.” Claudia Mercier, MA, shares insights from 25+ years of parenting, adopting and fostering.
Does your child feel safe? Really safe? Being and feeling safe often doesn’t match for our children from hard places. Behaviors are communication, so you can bet challenging behaviors may communicate unmet felt safety needs. Read this month’s blog article by Erin Bouchard, a foster, adoptive, kinship and bio Mama of Trauma Informed Parenting to start by filling your child’s love tank to improve felt safety and ultimately behavior.
Just at the moment that our teens are pushing for ultimate freedom and treatment like adults, they need our guidance and to dialogue about choices around values. That sounds easier said than done. Read this month’s blog by Nick Lawrence, a foster and adoptive Dad, Family Resiliency Coach and Founder of Tools for Life, to get pointers on helping your children form their own values to keep the communication open starting young, to last a lifetime!
Defiance often tops the list of struggles foster and adoptive parents face. In this month’s blog, Jenn Hook, MA offers strategies to not only ride the wave of defiance, but even better, to try avoiding taking that dive all together!
How might trauma, hope and the Holy Family intersect? How do trauma and hope shape your family? In this season of Advent, anticipating Christmas, the invitation is to reflect upon the Holy Family and Christ’s birth to deepen our faith journey. Have you imagined Jesus’ suffering and the unknowns Mary and Joseph faced? Delight in this article by Dr. Sarah A. Hill that is raw and real, but ends with light and redemption.
Holiday preparation is in full swing! This month’s blog by Donna Erickson, MA, helps foster/adoptive parents ensure their children are supported this holiday season – especially those who are very aware of the past, different traditions and the absence of their birth family.