Creating A Family: Talk About Infertility, Adoption & Foster Care

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.There is a huge need for foster and adoptive homes for LGBTQ+ youth in foster care. We interview Holly Harridan and Dr. Shelly Ronen. Holly is a Senior User Experience Researcher at Bloom Works and an applied Anthropologist with a background in queer and feminist studies.  Dr. Shelly Ronen is a Senior User Experience Researcher at Bloom Works. She has a Ph.D. in Sociology and specializes in gender and sexuality.In this episode, we cover:Terminology. LGBTQ+, LGBTQIA2S+, queer. What does each of the letters mean, and what is correct?What is the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity? What are some of the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ youth in foster care?What does it mean to have an” affirming” home?Some foster and adoptive parents know in advance that the child that they are fostering or adopting identifies as LGBTQ+, but other times, it is something that they find out later. If they know in advance, what are some things

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Question: My husband and I want to adopt a baby. We are working with an adoption attorney, and we have to make a book about us and our lives to be shown to women and girls who are considering adoption for their baby. My husband has full-sleeve tattoos on both arms and on his neck. I am worried that it might be a turnoff for a girl choosing a family. Should we use pictures where his tattoos don’t show to up our chances?Resources:Preparing an Adoptive Parent Profile (video)Creating Your Adoptive Parent Profile (article)How To Create a Compelling Adoption Profile (1 hr. CreatingaFamilyEd.org online course w/ certificate of completion available)Support the showPlease 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-info

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Does your child struggle with anger, and do you struggle with how to help them? Tune in to our discussion today with Jessica Sinarski, a certified adoption therapist and author of the picture books Riley the Brave and Your Magic Backpack series. She also serves on the editorial board for The Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma.In this episode, we cover:All kids get angry, in fact, all people get angry, so how do we know if our kid has bigger issues with anger management?Why do kids who have experienced trauma often struggle with anger?Does it matter the type of trauma: abuse, neglect, adoption?Does the prenatal environment that is not ideal (maternal stress, alcohol or drug exposure, poor nutrition) impact a child’s or youth’s emotional regulation?Why do kids seem to overreact—big feelings for what feels like a small issue?What are some typical triggers that elicit big responses?Steps for managing natural feelings of anger. Name with few wor

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Question: My husband and I are starting the adoption process, and so I recently reached out to Human Resources at my place of employment and learned that I do not qualify for short-term disability (STD), so I am not eligible for any type of paid time off when baby eventually comes. Are there any advocacy groups working on getting something similar to short-term disability for adoptive parents, where at least some portion of their salary is paid during the leave? I mean, there is research out there on the importance of bonding and attachment for the future health of children! Resources:Dave Thomas Foundation's Adoption-Friendly Workplace program5 Ways Leaders Can Support Adoptive Parents (Article)Movement Advancement Project - State Family Leave LawsCreating a Family Online Support GroupSupport the showPlease leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to st

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Does your teen seem overly concerned about how they look? Do they seem to overeat or restrict their food intake without worrying about the consequences? This interview with Dr. Charlotte Markey will help. Dr. Markey is a professor of psychology and chair of the Health Sciences Department at Rutgers University, and a research scientist who has published over 100 scholarly articles and chapters about mental health issues. She has been conducting research on eating behavior and body image for over 25 years. She is the author of The Body Image Book for Girls, Being You: The Body Image Book for Boys, and most recently, Adultish: The Body Image Book for Life.In this episode, we cover:What do you include when you speak of body image?I think of it now more about weight, but wouldn’t it include having straight teeth, fewer pimples, and a cute haircut?Have young people always struggled with body image, or is this something new to our modern times?When sh

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Question: I just became a foster parent of a 14-year-old girl. She came with a cell phone paid for by her prior foster family. I told them I wanted to take over payments. I also want to sit down with her periodically and spontaneously and ask her to show me what she’s been doing on her phone while I show her what I do on my phone. I hope she will realize she can tell me anything and that I won’t hide things from her. Is this a good idea? How should I approach it? Do you think it will build trust, or will she resent it? Resources:Managing Technology & Screens (Resource page)Welcoming an Older Child to Your Home (Resource page)Raising Foster Children (Resource page)Support the showPlease 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 yo

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.If you are considering domestic infant adoption, you need to listen to this show to better understand the possibility that the expectant mom may change her mind. Our guest is adoption attorney, Lila Bradley, who has practiced law relating to adoption and child welfare law for the past 20 years.In this episode, we discuss:Distinction between failed match and adoption dissolution or sometimes known as disruption.What is the “typical” process for domestic infant adoption whether the adoptive parents are using an adoption agency or an adoption attorney?When do the adoptive parents legally become the baby’s parents?When can a mom change her mind and decide to parent the baby?Keep in mind that what prospective adoptive parents see as a “failure” very well may be seen as a “success” by the biological parents.Creating a Family resource: Failed Adoption Matches: How Common? How Costly? How to SurviveWhat are some signs that an adoption match may fail an

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Question: I’m a foster-to-adopt mom. I have 3 children. Two have already been adopted, and we are in the process of adopting one. My oldest son, who is 5 years old and turning 6 in Aug, had parental visits, but they were terminated when the parental rights were terminated, and he no longer sees them. It's been a year since the last visit. My daughter never had visits and doesn’t see her bio family, but I send the family a twice-a-year email with photos and updates. My current foster child, who is 4 years old, has once-a-week phone calls with his mom, who is in prison. My 5-year-old son is really struggling with seeing his younger brother getting phone calls with his bio Mom since he no longer sees his bio parents, and it’s hard for him to understand why his brother talks to his mom, but he does not. Each one of my child's stories is very different, but my oldest one notices the differences and doesn't understand why they're

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Does your child have a disability or have some label? If so, you need to listen to this interview with Dr. Deborah Winking, an educational psychologist and a special education teacher. She is the author of Capable: A Story of Triumph for Children the World Has Judges as “Different” and Raising Capable Kids. She is the mother of four, including one adopted child and one child with a neurological disorder.In this episode, we cover:Many of our kids have hidden disabilities caused by trauma. These disabilities can look like so many different things, including behavior problems.You say these 12 habits are to change yourself, not your child. Why?Habit 1: Believe that effort creates abilityHabit 3: Set a vision of capability with your child and adjust it over timeHabit 6: Send capable messages: Use words and act in ways that let your child know that you think they are capableHabit 8: Challenge your child in ways that regularly take them (and you) outs

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Question: I was just asked to take on a Spanish-speaking teen with a baby. Do you have any resources to address fostering a teenager with a language barrier, as well as supporting her in developing adult skills and independence? She comes with a complicated history involving immigrating here on her own. Resources:Welcome an Older Child to Your Home (Resource)Former Foster Youth Voices (Resource)Helping a Child Heal from Trauma (Resource)Support the showPlease 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 do teachers understand about adoption? What are the misperceptions? We talk with two researchers on this topic: Dr. Hal Grotevant, the Rudd Family Foundation Chair in Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Dr. Abbie Goldberg, a Professor of Psychology and current Director of Women’s & Gender Studies at Clark University.In this episode, we cover:How knowledgeable were teachers in understanding the impact of trauma?How knowledgeable were teachers in understanding the impact of attachment?How knowledgeable were teachers in understanding the impact of adoption?How knowledgeable were teachers in understanding the impact of prenatal exposure?Was there a perception that adopted kids were “troubled”?What did they know about open adoption?How accepting were teachers to the idea of modifying assignments to reflect diverse families, including those formed by adoption?Do teachers know whether kids are adopted? Do they need to k

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Question: We have applied to adopt a baby. We’re more or less being told that if we don’t agree to an open adoption, we’ll never get chosen by a birth mom. But, I really don’t want an open adoption. I think kids need just one mom and dad and opening up our family to others will just be confusing for everyone. But, I’m afraid that we’ll never get chosen if I say this.Resources:Open Adoption (Resource page)Listening to Adoptee VoicesUnderstanding the Birth Parents' ExperienceSupport the showPlease 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 have a child who acts out at school? Do you struggle with how to work with the school to help your child? If so, don't miss today's interview with Sarah Naish, the CEO and Founder of the Centre of Excellence in Child Trauma and the author of many books on foster parenting, including The A-Z of Trauma-Informed Teaching.In this episode, we cover:Why do our kids often have behavioral problems?What are some typical behaviors that are problematic in school?What is it about school that exacerbates behavior issues?How much training does the average teacher have on the long-term impact of trauma on a child?How much training does the average teacher have on the long-term impact of prenatal exposure to alcohol and drugs on a child?Many of our kids will have an IEP or 504 Plan. How to address behavioral issues in these plans?Let’s say you have a child who is acting out (i.e., being defiant, not following rules, disrupting class, and other

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Question: We are planning to adopt our third child. We have reason to believe that my husband’s parents will oppose this idea. Do you have any advice on how to approach them?Resources:Transitioning Your Child to Your HomeWinning Over Reluctant Extended Family to Your Adoption PlansSibling Relations (Combing Children by Birth & Adoption)Support the showPlease 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 this discussion with Dr. Gretchen Sisson, the author of Relinquished, the Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood.In this episode, we cover:Book focuses on private adoptions between 2000-2020. Not on parents where parental rights were terminated by the state and not on international adoptions.Full of first-person stories from birth moms. How many women are currently placing a child for adoption compared to the number of births? How does this compare to the number of women who decide on abortion? Only 25 % considered adoption, and only 9% relinquished. Turnaway Study90% of relinquishing moms considered parenting, but only 40% considered abortion.What is the demographic of the mom who relinquishes her child for adoption between 2000-2020?  Why do women relinquish or choose adoption? What does the research show on how many women who decide against abortion or can’t have an abortion because their pregnancy is too a

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Prior to Russia invading Ukraine, it was possible to adopt from Ukraine. In fact, depending on the year, it was one of the top 10 placing countries to the US. However, the government of Ukraine has said that intercountry adoption will not fully resume while martial law is in place. However, the government of Ukraine confirmed they will process intercountry adoptions in limited circumstances. Resources:Top Ten Placing Countries to the USFactors to Consider When Adopting from UkraineInternational Adoption (Resource page)Support the showPlease 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 this interview with Dr. JaeRan Kim, an adoption researcher who also blogs at Harlow's Monkey. In this episode, we cover:Research:Intercountry adoptees with adoption disruption and displacement histories – Adoptee perspectivesKorean adoptees as parentsAdoptees who adoptTransracially adopted Korean American adults raising multiracial childrenAdoptive parents of children with disabilitiesSupport the showPlease 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.Summer break is just around the corner for families of school-aged children – whether you are ready or not. You may already be planning your annual vacation, buying pool passes, and buying tickets online for local venues to enjoy together as a family. However, you may also dread your child’s hours of unscheduled time. It’s understandable – transitioning from your predictable, regimented school-year routine to a less structured summer routine can shock your kids’ systems. How do you plan to survive the summer with your kids impacted by trauma?Resources:Surviving Summer with Kids Impacted by Trauma (Article)Helping a Child Heal from Trauma (Resource page)Raising Foster Children (Resource page)Support the showPlease 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.Cre

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Join this inspiring discussion with two former foster youths who talk about their time in foster care and how that experience shaped them. Lanitta was a pregnant and parenting teen growing up in the North Carolina foster care system. In May of 2022, she joined the 2% population of former foster youth that graduate from post-secondary education with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance. Mayia Warren was in foster care and later adopted by her grandmother. She has multiple invisible disabilities, albinism, and is visually impaired. In the spring of 2021, Mayia graduated with a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology. She is an advocate in multiple fields such as: disability, foster care, children and families, and wellness. She is also an independent recording artist, poet, author and philanthropist.In this episode, we cover:Synopsis of your life story.What were the hardest parts of being in foster care?What were the better pa

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.A Lifebook is the story of how your child came to be yours and the story of his life before he came to you. Adoption is only one aspect of your child, and at some point, his life merges into your life. However, he had a life before he came to your family, and his Lifebook tells this part of his story.ResourcesAdoption Lifebooks (Suggested Books)Welcoming an Older Child to Your Home (Resource Page)Transitioning a Child to Your Home (Resource Page)Support the showPlease 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