Challenges and Opportunities Facing Foster Youth

In this episode, we welcome Paul Durham, a leading expert in foster care services, to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing foster youth. Paul shares his deep knowledge and practical strategies for creating supportive environments that help these young individuals thrive. Don’t miss this insightful conversation on how families and communities can make a lasting impact.

Music by DayFox from Pixabay - Salangseuleoun

Transcript

[00:00:00] Cecilia: Welcome back to another episode of Parenting with Passion. I'm your host, Cecilia Holguin, and today we're diving into a topic that touches the hearts of many foster care. Whether you're a current foster parent, considering to be one or simply want to better understand how to support foster youth, this is the episode for you.

[00:00:35] Cecilia: I'm joined today by an incredible guest, Mr. Paul Durham, program Coordinator for Children Deserve Success at SBCSS, Paul brings deep experience and insight into foster care system. We'll be talking about the process of becoming a foster parent. How to create a welcoming and trauma-informed home and where families can turn to support and resources.

[00:00:59] Cecilia: [00:01:00] Let's explore how to walk alongside our foster youth with compassion, confidence, and community. So let's get started at the beginning. Paul, what does the process look like for becoming a foster parent? 

[00:01:14] Paul: Okay. So, uh, there's a couple different processes. One, we work with, uh, probation department, and then, uh, our other agency that we work with is child welfare.

[00:01:22] Paul: Uh, the overwhelming majority of our foster youth come through the child welfare, uh, through our dependency courts. Um, probation works with delinquency courts. Uh, so if you're interested in becoming a foster parent, which, uh, we're always in need, uh, there's a shortage of homes all the time.

[00:01:38] Cecilia: Right? 

[00:01:38] Paul: Uh, the homes that we have are often filled or have a waiting list. Uh, at any given time. We may have a dozen kids living in an office building, uh, while they're looking for suitable placements. Um, the process is fairly easy. It starts with either a resource event or a contact to our child welfare office. [00:02:00] Uh, they'll assign two social workers.

[00:02:01] Paul: They'll assign one social worker to evaluate the home, uh, to make sure that the home is a suitable placement, uh, that there's room for the youth. The youth would have their own individual space. Uh, and then the other is a permanency assessment. So, uh, what is the long term goals of this family? Are they looking at adoption or do they only want to do foster care?

[00:02:23] Paul: Uh, and then they would do numerous youth over the years for short term, whether that's three months, six months, a year. Um, once that evaluator process is done, uh, and they've determined that you are a suitable placement, you would become what's called a resource family, uh, and then they would start to make placements in your home.

[00:02:40] Paul: Uh, generally that process takes anywhere from four to four months to a year. Uh, the longest process is the background checks, the fingerprints, uh, going through all the legal processes. The training part goes fairly quickly. And the assessment part goes fairly quickly. It's that more detailed investigative background that takes the, the [00:03:00] longest part.

[00:03:00] Cecilia: Right. Okay. So what are some misconceptions that people may have about foster care? 

[00:03:07] Paul: Uh, I think that about becoming a foster parent or just foster care in general? I think one of the biggest misconceptions about foster parenting, uh, a lot of times you, you know, I have to be a married couple. Uh, we have to have this, um, 20 years of marriage and we've raised our own kids and, and, and we did a good job with our own kids. So now we wanted to, uh, even single, um, people are, are great suitable placements for foster youth. Uh, just somebody that cares for kids that has space in their home, uh, that has love in their heart, uh, that really wants to see, uh, a youth succeed.

[00:03:43] Paul: Um. The majority of our youth that are in foster care fall in that like 14 to 18, that, that are looking for placements. Generally, the younger kids, it's a lot easier to put 'em into placement. Um, families that are, are looking to get into foster care, particularly if they're [00:04:00] newer families, they always want the younger kids, the babies. 

[00:04:02] Cecilia: Right?

[00:04:03] Paul: So we have no problem placing babies. Uh, we have problems, uh, facing, uh, placing 14-year-old hormonal teenage boys.

[00:04:10] Cecilia: Right, I bet. 

[00:04:12] Paul: Yeah. Uh, another misconception, um, is that foster parents are in it for the money. Uh, so we have homes where they have, uh, extra space. They might have three or four bedrooms, you know, they raise their own kids.

[00:04:23] Paul: They have a, a, a bigger household. They want to take in three or four foster kids, or maybe they take in a whole family of foster kids, so siblings sets or something like that.

[00:04:31] Cecilia: Okay.

[00:04:31] Paul: Uh, foster care is, is a reimbursement. Uh, it, it's a minimal amount of money just to help, um, with food and living expenses. Uh, no foster parent is ever gonna become rich by being a foster parent. 

[00:04:46] Cecilia: Right?

[00:04:46] Paul: Uh, generally they're, they're struggling just like any other family, right? Uh, it's enough money to to, to meet some basic living expenses, and that's it.

[00:04:54] Cecilia: Right. Can a parent be working full-time and still become a foster parent? 

[00:04:58] Paul: Absolutely. Yeah. So just like [00:05:00] if in your own household, you know, mom and dad, both work and the kids are going to school.

[00:05:04] Cecilia: Mm-hmm.

[00:05:04] Paul: Um, a, a foster placement looks a lot just like a normal functioning household with kids in it. Uh, so you, you might have aftercare, uh, placements after school where the kid is going to daycare or something like that. Uh, but absolutely. Yeah. 

[00:05:18] Cecilia: Great. So how can foster parents create a home environment? That really feels safe, welcoming, and stable for a child who may have experienced some trauma.

[00:05:28] Paul: So I think the biggest thing, um, all the kids that are in foster care have experienced trauma, right? Um, it's different levels depending on the situation and the family that they came from. But they're all gonna have experienced trauma. One of the biggest traumatic events is, is getting pulled out of the only household they've ever known, the only mom and dad they've ever known, and you're getting put into an unknown environment with people you've never met.

[00:05:51] Paul: Then you're asked to function like a normal kid would. Um, so some, some strategies or some steps that a family can take to really kind of at least [00:06:00] bring some peace and some normalcy to these youth is they gotta have their own space. So, uh, I understand that you're gonna have some behaviors you, you're gonna need, you know, some alone time.

[00:06:12] Paul: This is your space that you can go to, that you should feel comfortable with, right? Whether it's a bedroom. Uh, uh, whatever the place looks like in the house, but their own personalized space where they can feel comfortable, a, a place to retreat to when they start feeling some emotions. Uh, another thing is, uh, when you're working with foster youth, make sure you're using calm tone.

[00:06:33] Paul: Uh, you don't want to get 'em in a defensive nature. Be really predictable with behaviors and structures and schedules and calendaring, all that kind of thing. Making sure that everything, they have expectations. Like, this is what my day looks like on a daily basis. And they fall into those routines. And those routines make it a lot more comfortable, uh, and help them to adjust to that living change that they've had.

[00:06:56] Cecilia: Right now, does a foster [00:07:00] student have access to counseling, um, support? 

[00:07:03] Paul: Absolutely. Yeah. So our, our child welfare, uh, does an incredible job of making sure that we have services around, uh, counseling, uh, and support available to the youth themselves, uh, to the families. The number one goal of our child welfare department is family reunification.

[00:07:20] Paul: Uh, so permanency in the foster care system is a last resort. Uh, when all ties are cut with parents, that's the last result. So even if a kid is in foster care, we're trying to reunite that family. We're trying to get the biological mom and dad, the services that they need to, um, readjust their own lifestyle patterns to get them in a place where they can care for their kids and be successful.

[00:07:42] Paul: Um, but while we're doing that, we wanna make sure that the, the, the kids, uh, are in a safe environment.

[00:07:49] Cecilia: Right.

[00:07:49] Paul: In a loving environment. And that the, the situation that we're putting in is gonna help it be secure. 

[00:07:55] Cecilia: Right. Especially in the beginning when the child is first placed with a new family. [00:08:00] What are some small but powerful ways parents can help a foster child feel like they belong in the home?

[00:08:07] Paul: Um, having their own bed, um, is, is huge. If they've come with any personalized stuff, a lot of times, you know, whatever they could fit into a, a garbage bag is the unfortunate reality for a lot of these kids. Um, and not, you know, the giant trash bag, but even this little Stater brothers plastic ones, they take two of those and all their life belongings, everything they've ever known fits in those two Stater brothers bags.

[00:08:29] Paul: Uh, so really getting them stuff that's really personalized for 'em, uh, whether it's a, a stuffed animal or a toy, depending on, you know, how old they are, if they brought some pictures. Framing 'em and, and having 'em in their personal space so that when they get into that personal space, they look and they see something that's comforting.

[00:08:44] Paul: Something that's familiar to them.

[00:08:46] Cecilia: Right. That's great.

[00:08:47] Paul: Uh, a lot of times it's a blanket or a pillow. Hope, hopefully they brought something like that that's personalized to 'em. If not, go and buy them something that's personalized to 'em that they'll be able to take. Uh, even if they leave your household, this'll be theirs forever.

[00:08:58] Cecilia: That's great.

[00:08:58] Paul: Uh, really creating that. [00:09:00] Um. When you're celebrating holidays and birthdays, really making 'em feel part of your family. It's not a, you are the foster kid and this is my biological kid, and.

[00:09:08] Cecilia: Mm-hmm.

[00:09:08] Paul: A lot the, the kids are really good about telling whether you're genuine, genuine or not. And some of that is those holidays and the birthdays. So we took a biological kid out to, uh, fancy restaurant for his birthday and we took you to McDonald's for your birthday.

[00:09:23] Cecilia: Mm.

[00:09:23] Paul: Uh, so really tried to be equal in the, uh the familization, I guess, if that's a word. Um. 

[00:09:32] Cecilia: You're absorbing them into the family, right?

[00:09:34] Paul: Making 'em feel like.

[00:09:36] Cecilia: Yeah.

[00:09:36] Paul: You are a part of this family the, the, the time that you're in this household, whether that's a day or for the rest of your life, you are part of this family, whatever that looks like. 

[00:09:45] Cecilia: So can you help us understand how trauma might show up in a foster child's behavior or emotion that a foster parent may see at home? 'cause that, that's the tough part.

[00:09:57] Paul: All kids are gonna show, you know, some kind of behaviors. [00:10:00] Uh, our kids that have, uh, entered the foster care system, a lot of times those behaviors are more, uh, magnetized. Uh, you're gonna see 'em, uh, a little bit more from kid to kid. That looks a little different. Uh, for some of our foster youth, they'll really excel in school, uh, because they want to be noticed for achievement.

[00:10:21] Paul: So if they're, if they show that they, and it's someplace that they feel safe, uh, that teacher that they made a connection to, or that friend group or, or whatever, engaged them in the school, that's a safe place for 'em and they're really gonna excel in the school. Uh, others they may really withdraw. Uh, might get a little bit of that lone wolf like, leave me alone.

[00:10:41] Paul: I don't really want to talk to anybody. Uh, kind of go into a shell. Uh, and, and anywhere along that spectrum, um. Teachers will often see, um, a lot of behaviors of, uh, having to be told numerous times. Uh, 'cause it takes them a, a few [00:11:00] times to really hear what, what, uh, somebody in authority is telling them. Uh, and it's not that they're ignoring. Uh, a a lot of that is the trauma background. Uh. And being a kid.

[00:11:12] Cecilia: Right.

[00:11:12] Paul: So even, even our own kids that we, that we raise have to be told numerous times.

[00:11:17] Cecilia: That's right.

[00:11:17] Paul: And it's crazy that the expectation is that, that this foster youth that has gone through so much trauma is not gonna have the same, um, you know, expectations that, that the normal youth that hasn't gone through all that trauma has.

[00:11:29] Paul: So it might take 5, 6, 7 times. Uh, and it's not that they're misbehaving or, or that they're not listening or that they're personally trying, um. To cause a ruckus. It's generally, uh, the trauma response makes it a little slower for them to comprehend and to hear what is being asked of them. 

[00:11:46] Cecilia: Right. That's, that's really good to know. And what, what should a foster parent do when they do notice that their, the child is being triggered or starts shutting down? Like how should the parent respond to that in the moment? [00:12:00] 

[00:12:00] Paul: Uh, again, having that safe space, um, calm tones, um, depending on the age. Uh. The younger youth might need some, uh, consulting a, a hug or, uh, you know, some kind of a, a, a love gesture.

[00:12:17] Paul: Uh, the older youth might just need a conversation like, uh, you know, this behavior, this is why this behavior was wrong. Uh, I understand that your, your in a state right now that maybe, uh, a conversation is gonna be difficult. Uh, but here's the expectations in the, in the household, right? Or here's the expectations in our classroom.

[00:12:36] Paul: Um, don't take anything personally. Mm-hmm. Um, that, that's one of the biggest things. Uh, these youth are gonna test you. You know, mom and dad were the only people that they thought they could trust in their, in their whole world. And mom and dad let 'em down.

[00:12:50] Cecilia: Right?

[00:12:50] Paul: Uh, and the average youth has been to seven different placements. And so that's seven different adult households that have told them, Hey, we love you like a kid, and [00:13:00] you're welcome here. And then you move, and then we love you, like you're our own kid and you're welcome here. How many households, how many adults have to tell you that before you left?

[00:13:08] Cecilia: Mm-hmm.

[00:13:08] Paul: No you don't, uh, I've been told that numerous times and, and now I know that the adults don't care for me, that I have to fend for myself. And, and it may take a lot of time. Uh, and, and really using a lot of strategies.

[00:13:24] Cecilia: Mm-hmm.

[00:13:24] Paul: Uh, not just trauma informed best practice, but trauma awareness. Um. Your own kids test you. Mm-hmm. These kids, these kids are gonna test you anymore and, and they're gonna find, uh, whatever those lines in the sand that you've drawn, and they're gonna step over it.

[00:13:39] Cecilia: Right.

[00:13:39] Paul: Just to see exactly. And, and test whether.

[00:13:42] Cecilia: Right.

[00:13:42] Paul: Uh, you, you told me you love me like your own kid. Well, let me, lemme cross this line and see if you really do. Uh, and so many times, um, our foster households will give a seven day notice and move 'em on to the next house. And then you're just reinforcing that, yeah, you never really did love me like your own kid, because you wouldn't have done that with your own [00:14:00] kid.

[00:14:01] Cecilia: Heartbreaking. And I think sometimes too, it's okay if they're having a trauma response. If they're triggered by something, it's okay to say, you know what? I see that you're really upset right now. I will talk to you about this when you calm down and stepping away. For that moment. 'cause then you're, you don't want a parent to get angry themselves and say something that they don't mean to say, but you also need to give that time of processing back to the child as well.

[00:14:26] Cecilia: So I think sometimes stepping back and saying, you know what, this conversation's not over. We will talk about this. But when you're calm. 

[00:14:33] Paul: Absolutely. I think that's a human thing.

[00:14:35] Cecilia: Right?

[00:14:35] Paul: So even in an adult relationship, you know, your, your wife upsets you. Sometimes I.

[00:14:40] Cecilia: Or husband.

[00:14:41] Paul: I just need a little, I just need a little space. And we were, we shouldn't expect anything different from these kids. 

[00:14:45] Cecilia: Right? 

[00:14:46] Paul: Uh, and having that space where they can go and giving them some time to reflect and, and to calm down, and then having those conversations later, absolutely. A wonderful strategy. 

[00:14:54] Cecilia: And then when parents wanna set boundaries, we need to set healthy boundaries in the home for all kids.[00:15:00] 

[00:15:00] Cecilia: But reinforcing healthy boundaries in a home with a foster kid, I think it's really helpful sometimes to structure that on paper or a chart or something like, you know, if they have chores, you know, writing that down for them so they have a visual of it. Um, if they need to be home by a certain time, making sure that's, you know, not only a discussion in the home conversation, but also visually available for kids too.

[00:15:24] Cecilia: Just having those reminders and setting healthy boundaries is really helpful for our kids too, and help them stay on a path that's a little bit more structured. 

[00:15:33] Paul: Absolutely. Healthy boundaries. Um, the other thing that we often talk to particularly, you know, our, our expertise is on the education side. So primarily we're working with educators that are working with youth.

[00:15:44] Paul: Uh, the child welfare works with the foster parent. Um, but really making sure that we're not lowering expectations just because they've been through traumatic events and, and.

[00:15:53] Cecilia: Yeah.

[00:15:54] Paul: They're on a path now to where we want them to be successful and expectations go with that. [00:16:00] Uh, and if those expectations aren't being met, then there's consequences for that.

[00:16:04] Paul: Uh, and those consequences really should be, um, clear and, and set ahead. Like, if you do this, this is going to be a consequence. If you do this, this is gonna be a consequence.

[00:16:13] Cecilia: Right.

[00:16:13] Paul: And being really clear right off the bat with those. Um, and then praising when they do a good job. Um.

[00:16:19] Cecilia: So important. 

[00:16:20] Paul: And, and so our teachers, you know, oftentimes the only calls that they ever make home is when their youth is misbehaving.

[00:16:26] Cecilia: Mm-hmm.

[00:16:26] Paul: Uh, but. We need to be making calls. Hey, the, you're.

[00:16:30] Cecilia: Right. 

[00:16:30] Paul: Johnny got a, a, b on his math test. That's the first time he is passed a math test this whole year. So whatever he did this week, keep doing that. 

[00:16:38] Cecilia: Right, exactly.

[00:16:38] Paul: And, and celebrating that win. And then, uh, Johnny hears, Hey, he called my, my foster mom and told him that I did a good job. Well, now I want to keep doing good because I got this praise 

[00:16:46] Cecilia: Yeah.

[00:16:46] Paul: For the hard work that I put into it.

[00:16:48] Cecilia: Right.

[00:16:48] Paul: And that might be making my bed in the morning or washing my dishes exactly after I had breakfast or whatever it is. But using that positive reinforcement to. Get those positive behaviors.

[00:16:59] Cecilia: Right. [00:17:00] I love that. So important. What are some kinds of support systems, um, that are available for foster families here in San Bernardino County? 

[00:17:09] Paul: Most of the foster support systems are gonna come through the child welfare, uh, offices. Uh, they have respite, so, um. Oftentimes when, when we're out playing, you know, I, I just can't get away. Like he's always here and he is always, uh, you know, if you need a night where, you know, I haven't been with my husband and had a date with my own husband in so long, well, there's respite care where you can get somebody to watch the youth for a, a night for you and give you time to go. And, and do you know what you used to do to get that alone time?

[00:17:38] Cecilia: Right. 

[00:17:39] Paul: Um, there's counseling services, um, there, there's help with, um. Whatever you need in your household, whether it's food, clothing.

[00:17:48] Cecilia: Mm-hmm.

[00:17:49] Paul: Um. 

[00:17:49] Cecilia: And the agency should be able to support them with all of that, support.

[00:17:52] Paul: All of that.

[00:17:52] Cecilia: Right?

[00:17:53] Paul: And then, and then in addition to the agency, there's also numerous others, foster parents, support groups, um, [00:18:00] you know, people with some experience that have done it for long periods of time that really know the system.

[00:18:04] Cecilia: Right?

[00:18:04] Paul: Anytime you're working with systems, uh, you always have that bureaucratic red tape, you know, uh, I'm having difficulty getting reimbursement for this or that? Well, those foster parent associations, they know, they've been through it. They know like, these are the forms you have to, uh, submit and here's who you have to talk to.

[00:18:21] Paul: Or, uh, I'm having difficulty, um, getting counseling services. Well do this process and, and that'll expedite that process for you. And you get those counseling services easier.

[00:18:30] Cecilia: Right?

[00:18:31] Paul: Uh, I need tutoring for my youth. He's struggling in math.

[00:18:34] Cecilia: Mm-hmm.

[00:18:34] Paul: Well, they've been through that and they know the process. So the, the support groups are extremely effective. We also have numerous community partners like Walden Family Services, uh, our Children's Network, our Children's Fund, all these great organizations that do great work and they all have their own specialties, but they're there to support the families and, and to make sure that those families, uh, have whatever they need to be successful caring for these foster youth.

[00:18:58] Cecilia: Right. And so all of these [00:19:00] resources will be listed at the end of our podcast on the family empowerment website, but what advice would you give. To a foster parent who's maybe feeling overwhelmed and unsure of how to ask for help, but really how, how can we help retain the kids longer in the home? Right?

[00:19:17] Cecilia: If a parent's feeling overwhelmed by this, what can we say? What can we do for the family that's feeling overwhelmed in that way? 

[00:19:22] Paul: This is extremely important. So we know that one of the biggest factors in a youth being successful, um, is stability. School stability, being able to stay in the same school, but hou housing stability, really making a connection with a family.

[00:19:38] Paul: Uh, and that family becomes your family. It may, it might not be blood, but it's, but it's family.

[00:19:42] Cecilia: Right?

[00:19:42] Paul: Uh, it's somebody that's gonna care for you and love you unconditionally. And so getting the support that we need, uh, to our resource families so that they're ready, capable, uh, and have the tools and the resources they need to keep that youth in their home long term.[00:20:00] 

[00:20:00] Paul: One is for asking for help early, uh, when you start to notice that they're having difficulty in school and you need those tutoring.

[00:20:06] Cecilia: Mm-hmm.

[00:20:06] Paul: Reaching out for help, when you start to see that, uh, behaviors are a little unordinary, uh, compared to what they've been in the past and the youth is going through something.

[00:20:16] Paul: Um, asking for help and getting those services early, not letting it get to a crisis level to where you're now I'm throwing my hands up in the air and I just can't deal with it anymore. You catch it early and you get those services. Um, you can make those changes and get the, the support that you need before it ever gets to that crisis level.

[00:20:32] Paul: Uh, and then, you know, make use of the, the tools and, and the resources that are out there. So if you just need, um, some time alone, I need respite care.

[00:20:42] Cecilia: Mm-hmm.

[00:20:42] Paul: Asking for it, ask for help. Um. 

[00:20:44] Cecilia: And that's okay. 

[00:20:45] Paul: Yeah. Don't feel there's no reason to feel uncomfortable if you need a little assistance. We all need assistance.

[00:20:50] Cecilia: Exactly.

[00:20:51] Paul: Uh, and make sure that you have what you need to be the best you for this kid. 

[00:20:55] Cecilia: Right. So then how can extended family members or even [00:21:00] friends support someone who is fostering? 

[00:21:03] Paul: So, um, I'd say the big thing is, is finding out, being really connected to the family, uh, knowing whatever those needs are. Uh, so if mom and dad are both working, uh, and, you know, they're getting home late, uh, assisting with dinner once or twice a week, uh, so then they're not having to, you know, make meals and, and struggle to make sure that everybody's fed. Um. Really learning what trauma-informed, uh, practices and, and trauma awareness. 

[00:21:31] Cecilia: Right?

[00:21:31] Paul: Uh, understanding behaviors. Um, being able to maybe take the, the youth out to an outing, um, a different form of respite care. Hey, I'm gonna give you the night off. We're gonna go to a baseball game, or we're gonna go see a play. Or maybe we're just gonna go down to the park and throw the football around or something.

[00:21:48] Paul: But I'm gonna, I'm gonna take the youth for a couple hours and we're gonna build our connection. At the same time, it's given you a little time to do whatever you need to do, whatever that looks like. 

[00:21:57] Cecilia: That's so good. It takes a village. It really [00:22:00] does. If a parent is listening today, um, maybe who is considering fostering, what is the best first step that they can take? Because it can be overwhelming with everything. 

[00:22:11] Paul: For sure. I, I would say the best step, um, contact child welfare, uh, all of our social workers are aware of the process. Uh, have a conversation. What, what does foster parenting look like? What kind of support are we going to have if we determine that we want to be a resource family?

[00:22:28] Paul: Uh, what does the assessment process look like? I'm gonna have people from child welfare, the system coming out to my house. What does that look like? Is that intrusive? What are they gonna be looking for? 

[00:22:39] Cecilia: Mm-hmm. 

[00:22:39] Paul: Um, what does the background check look like? Like do all the, find out what all the details are.

[00:22:45] Cecilia: Mm-hmm. 

[00:22:46] Paul: Uh, and then mainly, um. What, what kind of impact am I gonna have on the life of this youth? Ultimately, I think that's the, the greatest 

[00:22:55] Cecilia: Yes. 

[00:22:55] Paul: Aspect of becoming a foster parent is that you have the means and the [00:23:00] capability to really change an entire family's cycle. 

[00:23:03] Cecilia: Yeah. 

[00:23:03] Paul: So they've been through cycles of abuse and poverty, uh, and substance abuse and, and whatever it looked like that got them removed from their home.

[00:23:11] Cecilia: Mm-hmm. 

[00:23:11] Paul: Uh, and you have a, a chance to change that youth, entire family going forward. Starting all new cycles of maybe college graduate, um, 

[00:23:22] Cecilia: right. 

[00:23:22] Paul: Uh, good, capable job. Uh, 

[00:23:24] Cecilia: you change your life,.

[00:23:25] Paul: Be becoming the dad that he didn't have himself. Changing entire family dynamic. 

[00:23:30] Cecilia: Wow. That's a wrap on today's episode of Parenting with Passion.

[00:23:34] Cecilia: I do hope you enjoyed this conversation and it gave you a little bit more information and inspiration. A very heartfelt thank you to my guest for sharing such valuable insights with us today. For more resources and updates and ways to stay connected, visit our Family Empowerment website at ss.sbcss.net/family. And you can also follow us on Facebook [00:24:00] at SBCSS Student Services, or you can even give me a follow on Facebook. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with another parent who may need that encouragement. And don't forget to subscribe. So you never miss an episode. And remember, you're doing better than you think You are never alone on this journey.

[00:24:19] Cecilia: Until next time, keep parenting with purpose. Keep parenting with love, and always. Keep parenting with passion. See you next time.