Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Question: We are currently going through our home study to adopt from foster care, and I'm wondering if it is too early to look at photo listings? I have been looking at photo listings for a long time, but now, when I read the bios, it feels real, and I get slightly attached. I'm curious if you think this is setting myself up for disappointment.

Resources:

• Adoptions in the US – Our Annual Update
• Adoption Comparison Charts
• Foster Care Adoption
• Dealing with a Long Wait While Adopting
• The Impact of Fostering and Adoption on Kids Already in the Family

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

What is human trafficking? Is your child at increased risk of being trafficked? Listen to this conversation with guests Dr. Yolanda Montgomery, a nurse, advocate, and the founder of Zoë Ministries, a nonprofit established in 2012 to combat human trafficking in Delaware and beyond, and Sara Poore, the Executive Director of the Delaware Anti-Trafficking Action Council (DATAC), leading statewide efforts to prevent human trafficking, support survivors, and strengthen community partnerships.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What is human trafficking, and how does it show up in the lives of children and teens in the U.S.?
• Why might children who have experienced foster care, adoption, or relative caregiving be at higher risk for trafficking?
• What role do things like running away, online activity, or mental health play in increasing risk?
• Are there particular ages or developmental stages when children are most at risk?
• What systemic factors—such as placement instability or a lack of adult oversight—contribute to vulnerability?
• What signs or red flags should caregivers be watching for in their children or teens?
• How does trafficking often begin for vulnerable youth?
• What should a caregiver do if they suspect trafficking or exploitation?
• If a child discloses trafficking or exploitation, what should a caregiver’s first response be?
• What kinds of services or professionals should a caregiver seek out to help a child recover from trafficking or exploitation?
• What are some preventative actions parents and caregivers can build into their homes and relationships with their kids?
• What can caregivers be sensitive to at home, things that may contribute to increasing risk factors for our kids who are more vulnerable to these risks? (
• What conversations should caregivers be having regularly with their tweens or teens about trafficking risks?
• What resources, hotlines, or support networks should every caregiver have saved in their phones, or know about?
• In addition to being the one safe, stable, nurturing adult in a child’s life, what other practical protective factors can parents and caregivers incorporate into their home’s daily rhythms?

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Question: We very recently brought home our second child through domestic infant adoption. We feel very fortunate, and our son is developing well; we are also settling into the new routine.  We matched with our Son's birth mother through a local agency, and unfortunately, she decided that she did not want to meet us. She gave no information about the biological father.  We know she was caucasian, but honestly, it is unclear whether our son is entirely caucasian or not. The pediatrician said it was a mystery, and he may be caucasian with a darker complexion, or biracial, some amount of Hispanic, black, or any other heritage. We want to do everything in our power to be informed, acknowledge, and celebrate any ethnic background that is presented, but short of doing a DNA ancestry service on a baby that is a few weeks old, I don't really know where to begin- I'd appreciate any guidance you have. 

Resources:

• Raising a Transracial or Multicultural Child
• Adoptee Voices
• Ethical Issues in Genetic Testing in Adoption
• Genetic Testing and Genealogy for Adoptees
• Genetic Testing for Adoptees – Is It Worth It?

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Do you worry about the impacts that screen time, social media, or gaming have on your tween and teens' mental health? We spoke to Brittany Anderson, an author, certified play and narrative intelligence practitioner, and the founder of Renala, which helps families become creative, vision-driven leaders—beginning at home.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What are the most common concerns that parents and caregivers have about their tween or teen’s tech use?
• Are those concerns more about the amount of time kids spend on devices, the content they’re seeking out, or the content they stumble upon?
• What are the differences in concerns between parents of pre-teens/tweens (11–13) and older teens (16–18)?
• What does current research say about how much screen time is considered healthy—or at least not harmful—for our tweens and teens? 
  • Is the amount of time as important as how that time is being spent?
  • Are there particular times of day when device use is more problematic for mental health (e.g., late at night)?
• What types of online content are most worrisome for the tweens and teens in our homes?
• What mental health effects are we seeing most often in tweens and teens related to tech use? 
• What are the symptoms of mental health that parents and caregivers should look for?
• Why might kids with a history of trauma and loss, prenatal exposure to alcohol or drugs, or neurodiversity be more vulnerable to tech-related mental health challenges?
• How do issues like attachment, identity, and resilience intersect with device use?
• Are there specific risks associated with online relationships, gaming communities, or social media for these children?
• What can adoptive and foster parents, as well as caregivers such as grandparents raising their grandchildren, do proactively to reduce some of these risks before problems arise?
• What role do boundaries, monitoring, and co-viewing/co-playing have in prevention?
• How can they help their child develop self-protective, self-regulation skills, such as learning to prioritize their own mental health and manage their device use? 
• If a tween or teen has already had a harmful tech-related experience, what steps should parents/caregivers take immediately? 
• What does a healthy “tech culture” in a home look like for tweens and teens? 
• One piece of equipping and empowering advice for leading with purpose and mission around the issues of technology, devices, and tweens’ and teens’ mental health

RESOURCES:

• Managing Technology and Screens
• What Resource Parents Should Know About Prenatal Exposure
• How to Cu

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Question: I have resentment against my (soon-to-be adopted) child’s mom, who is an addict. I get frustrated with his disrespect & disobedience, and bitterness & resentment rise up. He also respects my husband way more than me. I am trying so hard not to let it show or to take it out on him. I need help!

Resources:

• Parenting Children with Challenging Behaviors 
• Prenatal Exposure, Part 1: Parenting Babies through Elementary Ages
• Parenting a Challenging Child: A Collaborative Approach

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Do you dread the teen years? Or, if you're in the midst of parenting teens, do you struggle to find ways to connect? This week, we interview Dr. Melody Aguayo, a parenting coach specializing in working with at-risk children and their families and the founder of Real Child Consulting, LLC. She is the mom of two adopted kids.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Parents wonder why their easy and natural connection with their kids changed, and they now feel on the outs and have to work harder. What is the developmental stage that is happening between the ages of about 13 and 18 or 19?
• Teens act like they don’t need us, when I believe they need us even more, to be present, but in a distinctly different way. I think that our emotions as a parent can sometimes interfere with connecting with teens.
• Change our expectation of what “connection” means with teens.
• Parents report feeling powerless in parenting when their kids reach their teen years. What is the essence of our power as parents?
• Our goals for our teens are to become responsible and independent. How can we parent in such a way to foster these goals?
• Let’s address some common issues we face when parenting teens: 
  • Arguing. How to turn an argument into a conversation?
  • Spending too much time on technology
  • Running with the wrong crowd
• Tips for connecting and building trust and appreciation with your teen!

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

I spent some time this week thinking about what I’ve learned from my experiences as an adoptive parent and the wisdom of others in our community. In reflection, I've created a list of the things I wish I knew before adopting.

Resources:

• 8 Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Adopted
• Free courses to strengthen your family
• Therapeutic Parenting: Strategies & Solutions
• Beginner’s Guide to TBRI

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Kinship-led families have unique needs, and finding resources to meet those needs can be a challenge. Today, we're talking with Mike Heath, a Resource Specialist with the Coalition for Children, Youth & Families in Wisconsin. The Coalition is a Resource Center for birth parents, foster families, adoptive families, relative/kinship/and like-kin caregivers, and child welfare and Tribal agency professionals.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What are the most frequently reported everyday needs or resource gaps caregivers are experiencing? 
• What is the most pressing need these kids are facing when they come to a new caregiver?
• What are the urgent needs caregivers have when welcoming a child or a sibling group, etc?
• Where can families find help with immediate essentials—such as beds, cribs, car seats, clothing, and school supplies?
• Which phone numbers should caregivers keep on speed dial?
• How should a relative caregiver secure the ability to make medical and school decisions quickly? 
• What papers or forms should caregivers request on day one? From whom?
• Managing the documentation and paperwork can be a significant challenge for a new caregiver. Do you have any recommendations for managing this?
• Should school enrollment be a priority in that first week? 
• How should a caregiver start the process of ensuring medical coverage (dental, vision, prescriptions, and mental health included)?
• Where should I start if I find the Medicaid/CHIP process confusing? 
• Once a kinship-led family is settling in, what additional needs or options should they consider? 
• Where to go to learn about those options?
• What are the possible financial resources that caregivers should look into?
• Importance of self-care, mental wellness, and community for both caregivers and the children they support
• If a new caregiver listens to this and does only three things this week, what should they be?

Resources:

• Free Download Checklist for the first 30 days as a Kinship Caregiver
• Virtual Resource Kit for Relative Caregivers - Virtual Resource Kit: Relative Caregiving - Wisconsin Family Connections Center
• Relative Caregiver Learning Pathway on Champion Classrooms (Free recorded webinar series) - Relative Caregiver Learning Pathway Link 
• Collection of Resources for Relative Caregivers - https://wifamilyconnectionscenter.org/how-do-i/find-support-as-a-relative-caregiver/
• Coalition for Children, Youth & Families -

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Today, we are tackling a question that comes up a lot for parents and caregivers in our community – what do you do with a picky eater?

Resources:

•  Food Issues
• My Foster Child Only Eats Junk Food
• Practical Solutions to Typical Food Issues with Adopted and Foster Kids

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Jackson TerKeurst was born in Liberia and by the age of 7 was a war orphan living in dire circumstances. So how did he end up as an entrepreneur, leader, and now author? Join us for an inspirational conversation about identity, overcoming, and redemption from Jackson's new book, The Only Way Forward is Back.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Cultural differences 
• How challenges like poverty and food insecurity impacted your first experiences in the States
• How did your trauma manifest in your behavior at home?
• How did your family help heal those impacts?
• Discuss the additional unique challenges that being adopted as a teenager may have presented during your early months and years in your new family.
• Discuss how you’ve worked on answering "Who Am I?" across the chapters of your life?
• What were the helpful or healing experiences that went into pulling all those parts of your identity together to create today’s Jackson TerKuerst, husband, father, son, brother, entrepreneur, and now author?
• What would you say to parents or caregivers who are in the thick of it right now, walking with a child who is struggling to figure out who they are and where they belong?

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Question: Are there travel restrictions when you are fostering? For example, my family lives out of state, but can I bring the child with me when I travel to visit family?

Resources:

• Working as Part of a Foster Care Team
• Working with the Birth Parents for the Child's Best Interest
• Becoming a Foster Parent

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Are you considering adopting a child over the age of 5? Listen to this interview with Sarah Hansen and Simi Riesner. Sarah is the Director of International Advocacy at the Gladney Center for Adoption, with over 20 years of experience supporting adoptive families and children. She is also an adoptive parent to an older child from Thailand. Simi is the Executive Director of Mazi Adoption and Family Services, as well as a licensed social worker and foster parent.  Simi also has lived experience as an adult adoptee, and is passionate about maintaining sibling relationships and promoting transparency within the adoption community. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• What are the age ranges you see being the most difficult to find adoptive homes for?
• Generally the greatest need in both international and foster care adoption is kids 5+
• Why are many prospective parents are almost afraid of adopting a tween or teen.
• What are the common challenging behaviors parents may face when adopting an older child: (keeping in mind that not all older children will struggle with these behaviors!) 
  • Lying, stealing
  • Lagging social skills
  • Acting out physically or sexually
  • Sibling rivalry
  • Regression of already developed skills (potty training, sleep, communication etc)
• What behaviors might parents expect to see in the children already living in the home that are likely impacted by the behaviors of a newly adopted sibling? Or influenced by the new sibling?
• Why do older children behave in some of these challenging ways? What’s driving them? 
  • Grief, loss
  • Trauma, abuse, neglect
  • Prenatal exposure to drugs/alcohol
  • Fear, unpredictability, Fight/flight/freeze response
  • Constant hypervigilance
  • Coping or survival skills
  • Mental health challenges
  • Undiagnosed learning challenges
• What are a few specific strategies to build trust and felt-safety for a newly adopted older child?
• What suggestions do you offer families who are adopting tweens and teens – especially when those young people have had very few limits or boundaries around them prior to adoption?
• What are the signs that maybe an older child is not attaching securely or catching on to the idea that they are now part of this family?
• Practical tips to implement today when considering Older Child Adoption

Resources:

• 6 Tips for Older Child Adoption
• Maintaining a Healthy Perspective When Parenting Tweens & Teens
• Preparing to Blend Kids by Birth and Adoption or Foster/Kinship Care

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Questions: I am a 58 single man and I am considering fostering. 

1. My first question is how much of a bias is there against men? 
2. What are the unique challenges that single foster dads face that discourage so many? 
3. What can we do to get more single foster dads to help families reunify, foster, and possibly adopt?

Resources:

• Creating a Support Network as a Single Adoptive, Foster, or Kinship Parent (Article)
• Adopting as a Single Parent (Online Parent Training course)
• Resources for Adopting or Fostering as a Single Parent

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Are you educated and informed on the issues around weed and vaping, including THC, nicotine, and the signs of addiction? Listen to this interview with Dr. Krishna White. She is an attending physician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, with board certifications in Pediatrics, Adolescent Medicine, and Addiction Medicine. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• Can you explain why kids who’ve experienced trauma, prenatal substance exposure, or who are neurodivergent may be at greater risk for turning to substances like marijuana or vaping?
• How are kids typically using marijuana today? (edibles, vaping THC, traditional smoking, oils)
• Are kids generally aware of what they’re consuming, especially when it comes to the potency of today’s marijuana?
• What are some of the short-term effects of marijuana use in adolescents?
• What long-term impacts are you seeing in your clinical practice, especially for kids whose brains are still developing?
• Now let’s move to vaping – what it is, why it’s so popular, and what we need to know about how kids are using it. 
• Can you break down what vaping is and what substances kids may be inhaling?
• Why is vaping so appealing to tweens and teens, even those who’ve never used another substance?
• What are some of the immediate health concerns tied to vaping in young people?
• And long-term—what are you most worried about when it comes to kids who are vaping regularly?
• What strategies can adoptive, foster, or kinship caregivers use to help buffer or “substance-proof” their kids?
• How early should conversations about marijuana and vaping begin?
• For kids who already have a higher vulnerability, what are some protective factors or environments that help reduce their risk?
• What are some signs that a child might be using marijuana or vaping—even if they’re trying to hide it?
• If a child has already started using, how can caregivers respond in a way that’s both firm and supportive?
• When does occasional experimentation cross the line into something that needs professional help?
• What are nicotine pouches – why are they appealing and what are the short or long term impacts we should know about?
• What would you say to a caregiver who’s feeling overwhelmed or ashamed that this is part of their child’s story?
• If you could offer just one piece of advice to a caregiver trying to navigate this with their teen, what would it be?

Resources:

• Prenatal Exposure, Part 2: Parenting Tweens and Teens
• Are Kids Exposed Prenatally More Likely to Abuse Alcohol & Drugs?
• Preventing Teen Substance Abuse - Center for Parent and Teen Communic

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Question: I have listened to hundreds of adoption-related podcast episodes, but very few of them have talked about talking directly with a potential birth mother. We were matched with an expectant mother who wanted to be able to communicate with us directly. We agreed, believing that it would help us form a better relationship. However, we were mentally unprepared for the wavering she expressed to us. Despite being so certain when we first met with her, as the pregnancy went on, she then had thoughts of parenting. The match ended with disruption, but I would love to hear a podcast about how to handle oneself in that situation. An episode of another podcast talked about how to handle that situation at the hospital during birth, but I felt something dedicated to communication throughout the pregnancy would be helpful.  Thanks for such a helpful podcast!

Resources:

• Our #1 Secret Tip for Navigating Open Adoption
• Signs that an Expectant Woman May Change Her Mind About Placing Her Child for Adoption
• Understanding Expectant Moms Who are Considering Adoption

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Are you considering adopting internationally? You need to listen to this interview about the laws and processes that you will be required to follow. We'll be talking with Kelly Dempsey, a partner with Fox Rothschild, who specializes in adoption and assisted reproduction. She is a fellow in the Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys and an adoptive parent through both international and domestic adoptions.

In this episode, we discuss:

1. Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption 
   1. Purpose 
      1. Key Elements of the Hague Treaty:
         1. Central Authority 
         2. Determining the child’s eligibility for intercountry adoption
         3. Accredited or Approved Adoption Agencies
         4. Transparency
2. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) 
   1. INA 101(b)(1)(F) I-600 “Orphan Route” 
      1. Child must qualify as an orphan under US definition
      2. Only one parent – incapable of providing support
      3. Deadlines: I600A before child’s 16th birthday -- only have 180 days to file the I-600, after USCIS approves the I-600 
   2. INA 101(b)(1)(G) I-800 “Convention Route”
      1. Work with CA Art 12, Art 16
      2. Eligibility decided by CA COO, but if consulate does an I-604 investigation that disqualifies child, then case will be denied
      3. Deadlines: Must file I-800A before age 16 and within 180 days of the approval of the I-800A, must file the I-800 (even w/o Art 16)
      4. Children adopted from other countries must first obtain a U.S. visa before they can travel or move to the United States. Visas are issued at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the foreign country where a child resides. Since a child being adopted abroad by a U.S. citizen parent(s) will usually be brought to live in the United States, that child will need an immigrant visa.
3. International Accreditation Act
4. Process When Adopting from a Hague Country. 
5. Process When Adopting from a Non-Hague countries. 
   1. Must qualify as orphans as defined by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) before they can be considered for U.S. permanent residence or citizenship.
   2. Get more information at the State Department - Adoption Process/Non-Hague Visa Process. 
6. More information on the Hague Convention and other applicable Federal regulations 
   1. US State Department - International Adoption
   2. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)  
7. US Department of State has a section on their website on “Understanding the Hague Convention” 
8. US Department of State has a section on their website on “

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Question: Hi, my husband, biological daughter and I are in the process of infant adoption. We have passed our home study and have made our profile book. We are at the point where we are viewing expectant moms' profiles. My husband‘s family is very excited and ready for this new chapter in our lives, but my family, however, seems unsure. It’s been hard to communicate with my parents about adoption, and it seems like when they are ready to talk about adoption it’s when I am not in the room and they are alone with my husband. I have sent them a book called “In On It: What Adoptive Parents Want You to Know About Adoption,” but they don’t seem to want to read the book or communicate with me about it. So my question is, should I continue to foster conversations around adoption while we wait to be matched, or since it seems kind of triggering or taboo for them, should I back away and just focus on my immediate family and our journey together? My intent was to offer them support with all of the learning and education that I have gone through during this pre-adoption process, but I’m wondering if I should let them move at their own speed regarding this adoption. 

Resources

• Winning Over Reluctant Extended Family in Adoption
• My Parents Disapprove of Open Adoption – Weekend Wisdom
• How to Get Grandparents on Board with Your Adoption Plans

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Most children will experience bullying at some point. What can parents do to help protect their children and to help their children cope if they are bullied? Host Dawn Davenport, Executive Director of Creating a Family, the national infertility & adoption education and support nonprofit, interviews Brooke Randolph, LMHC, a child and family therapist and author of The Bully Book: A Workbook for Kids Coping with Bullies; and Debora Gish, LCSW, with Adoption Connection with 20 experience working with kids and families.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What is bullying?
• Distinction between bullying and typical childhood cliquish behavior or “mean girl” behavior or kidding around behavior of middle school boys.
• How to help kids not be over-sensitive to teasing or taunting. For example, a first grader having a hard time distinguishing between name-calling meant to bully and the kind of taunts that are part and parcel with schoolyard games like tag (e.g., he went to the teacher over “na na na na na na, you can’t get me”).
• What children are at greater risk for bullying?
• Why do children bully?
• Cyberbullying
• Bullying on the school bus.
• How effective are the classic things we tell kids about how to handle bullies?
• Effective tips for helping kids handle bullying.

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

We frequently hear from waiting parents that they are unsure when to prepare the nursery, what formula is best, or how often they should expect to feed their new baby. It's a huge life transition, and we thought today we could talk about some basic baby care tips to help you think about what's next for you and your family when you get the baby home.

Resources:

• I'm Adopting a Baby. When Do I Set Up the Nursery?
• Essential Baby Care for Infant Adoption
• Stocking Your Medicine Cabinet for Baby
• Understanding Post-Adoption Depression and How to Manage It
• First 6 Months with a Baby Exposed to Opiates

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Does your child struggle to get or stay organized? Is homework a battle you dread every day? Prepare yourself to support your children for the Back to School season with this interview with Dr. Richard Guare. He's a neuropsychologist and board-certified behavior analyst focused on autism, learning, attention, and behavior disorders, and acquired brain injuries. He is the co-author of Smart But Scattered: The Revolutionary Approach to Helping Kids Reach Their Potential.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Define executive skills in a way that makes sense to a parent or caregiver who is unfamiliar with the term.
• Why are these executive skills essential for school success and independence?
• How does early childhood trauma, neglect, or prenatal substance exposure delay or disrupt a child’s executive skill development?
• What kinds of executive skill delays are common in children who’ve experienced foster care, adoption, or early adversity?
• How might a parent or caregiver begin to see a child’s delays in executive skill deficits in school?
• Define the strengths-based approach to teaching executive skills. 
• How can we structure our homes and daily routines to best support what our kids will face during the school day?
  • And practical strategies for supporting your student after school?
• What language can parents and caregivers use with our kids, and with teachers and support staff, to frame a child’s behavior in terms of execution skills vs. defiance or distraction?
• Why is it important for parents and caregivers to understand their own executive skills strengths and struggles?
• Top “takeaways” you want to encourage and support parents and caregivers to consider.

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

How do you know your child with prenatal substance exposure is ready to potty train? How do you start potty training a child with impacts from prenatal substance exposure, like developmental delays? This Weekend Wisdom offers practical strategies and encouragement to help you stay motivated and keep up the good work.

Resources:

• Raising a Child with Prenatal Substance Exposure
• How Do I Potty Train a Child with Prenatal Substance Exposure?
• Prenatal Exposure, Part 1: Parenting Babies through Elementary Ages

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Join us for a look at where CreatingaFamily.org - and this podcast - began and where we are heading from here. We talk today with Dawn Davenport, the founding Executive Director of the organization, as she prepares to retire from Creating a Family.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Tell us how and why you started Creating a Family. Why start a non-profit?
  • The Complete Guide to International Adoption: The Step by Step Guide to Finding Your Child
• Do any significant moments stand out from those early days of setting a path forward?
• Who were the hands-on folks behind the scenes in those early days?
• What were some of your hopes and dreams for this new venture when you started podcasting?
  • What were some of your most memorable challenges?
• How has the world of podcasting changed in the 18 years since you launched this one?
• Were there one or two “big fish” you were excited to get?
• How have you seen the Creating a Family podcast impact the families we serve? The professionals?
• What are the most significant challenges you see facing our community of listeners / adoptive, foster, and kinship families in 2025? 
• Do you have any lessons you’ll take from this season of your life – as a professional and/or as a parent?
• What are you most excited about for the future of CreatingaFamily.org?
• Do you have any retirement plans? 

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Question: I have a question that may be well suited for a weekend wisdom episode. I'm aware of the reasons that a domestic infant adoption may fail, but I've also read about foster children having failed adoption(s) and then aging out of the system. What are some of the main reasons that a foster child experiences a failed adoption? How does that look different than (or the same as) a failed domestic infant adoption? 

Resources:

• Failed Adoptions:
  • Help, I Don’t Think I Can Continue With This Adoption!
  • Adoption Disruptions/Dissolutions – How to Prevent and When to Accept
  • Evaluating Risk Factors in Foster Care Adoption
• Failed Adoption Matches:
  • Predicting and Coping with Failed Adoption Matches
  • How Common are Failed Adoption Matches?

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

What should you look for when you are considering therapy for your child or your family? How do you find the right fit for your child's needs? We talk today with Kelly Raudenbush, Executive Director of The Sparrow Fund, a non-profit that provides therapeutic services for foster and adoptive children and their grown-ups. She is a child and family therapist with an MA degree in counseling and a certificate in clinical infant and early childhood mental health. She's also an adoptive mom.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What are some of the common reasons families seek therapy for their child or family unit? 
• When is it time to seek a therapist?
• What types of professionals can provide therapy?
• Is there a difference between therapy and counseling? 
• What makes a therapist trauma-informed?
• What’s the difference between being adoption-competent and adoption-informed?
• What should parents look for to determine if a potential therapist is competent to handle the trauma, adoption, or foster issues they are facing?
• Where can parents or caregivers go to find a therapist with the lived experience of being adopted? What might the benefits be in seeking a therapist with this lived experience?
• Can you list the more common therapeutic models of treatment that adoptive, foster, or relative caregiver families might consider? 
• When should therapy with our kids involve just the child, or the child and the parent? 
• What questions can parents or caregivers ask to determine if the therapist is a good fit for the child and family? 
• Are there additional or specific considerations for therapy that should be addressed if our child has experienced sexual abuse?
• What is home-based therapy and what are the advantages to this type of therapy for adoptive, foster, or relative caregiving families?
• Is therapy via tele-health or via teleconferencing as effective as in-person for our families? 

Additional Resources:

• https://sparrow-fund.org/
• Therapy Resources for Adoptive, Foster, and Kinship Families
• Adoptee and Foster Alumni Voices
• Therapists: Parents Should Be With Their Kids for Adoptive or Foster Therapy Sessions
• A Guide to Selecting An Adoption Or Foster Therapist
• Family Centered Treatment 

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.

Question: My husband and I adopted our daughter in 2019, and she is now 5. As of a week ago, we were matched with a birth mother who is due in six weeks. We have explained the process to our daughter (we made a book about our life, and one day someone will pick us), but now that we’ve been chosen, what is the best way to approach this with my daughter? We have several of the books from your (wonderful) book list, but not many pertain to same sex parents who are bringing home an adopted sibling. How do we prepare our daughter for the possibility of having a sibling, while also being open and honest about the possibility that this baby might not be ours to take home? 

Resources:

• Prepare Children for the Adoption of a Sibling (Suggested Books)
• Books for Transracially Adopted Kids (Suggested Books)
• Talking with Kids about Adoption (Resource page)

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building