Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption, Foster & Kinship Care
Are you thinking about adopting or fostering a child? Confused about all the options and wondering where to begin? Or are you an adoptive or foster parent or kinship caregiver trying to be the best parent possible to this precious child? This is the podcast for you! Every week, we interview leading experts for an hour, discussing the topics you care about in deciding whether to adopt/foster or how to be a better parent. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are the national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and...
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Big Feelings, Better Connection: Using Play to Help Kids Thrive
<p>Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!</p><p>How can play help children heal, regulate big emotions, and strengthen attachment? We talk with Georgie Wisen-Vincent about ways that adoptive, foster, and kinship caregivers can use playfulness to build connection, support emotional growth, and help children impacted by trauma thrive. She is a nationally recognized play therapy expert, co-author of the new book , The Way of Play, and the Founder/Director of The PlayStrong Institute.</p><p>In this episode, we explore why play is essential to children's emotional development, how trauma, loss, neglect, and disrupted attachment can affect a...
How Do I Find Non-Religious Resources for Fostering? - Weekend Wisdom
<p>Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!</p><p><b>Question: </b>I've been looking into a lot of resources and communities for foster parents, and it seems like many of them, especially in my area, approach fostering from a Christian perspective. I was raised Christian but am no longer comfortable in Christian spaces. How do I find community? </p><p><b>Resources:</b></p>Laura the Foster Parent Partner Annie E. Casey FoundationAdoptUSKidsDave Thomas Foundation for Adoption<p>Support the show</p><p>Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are...
Trauma-Responsive Practices To Set Your Kids Up for Success in School
<p>Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!</p><p>What are trauma-responsive practices, and how can they impact your child’s behavior, emotional well-being, and success in school? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Brandy-Lea McCombs, founder of STL234 Outreaches and a frequent speaker on reviving resilience in children, drawing from her professional research and her personal journey as an adoptive parent.</p><p>Learn practical trauma-responsive practices for building connection during calm moments, responding to meltdowns, balancing empathy with healthy boundaries, and partnering with your child’s school. This conversation offers encouragement and actionable strategies for adoptive, foster, and...
Our Baby Was Exposed Prenatally to Substances. Should I Worry? - Weekend Wisdom
<p>Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!</p><p><b>Question: </b>Our adopted son is almost 4 months old and perfectly healthy. He eats well, sleeps well, and seems to be hitting his milestones just fine. We know that he was exposed to cocaine during pregnancy, but he was born only three weeks early, which is still full-term. He had a healthy birth weight, he was not suffering from withdrawal in the hospital, and he has checked out as perfectly healthy at all of his pediatrician visits so far. My question is, does the lack of negative effects of cocaine...
The Emotional Lives of Teenagers
<p>Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!</p><p>Are you parenting teens, or will you be in a few years? Don’t miss this conversation with psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour, author of the book, “The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents.“</p><p><b>In this episode, we discuss:</b></p>Our society has become afraid of being unhappy. What are the reasons for this?Studies seem to suggest that teens are unhappier now than in the past. Why?Three myths about adolescence.The adultification of black teens.Why do our teens find us so annoyi...
How Do We Make It Through Summer Without Falling Apart? - Weekend Wisdom
<p>Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!</p><p><b>Question: </b> I feel terrible even saying this, but I am counting down the days until school starts. My kids have trauma histories, ADHD, and prenatal exposure, and summer has been rough. The lack of routine seems to make everything harder—sleep, behavior, arguing, screen time, all of it. We started summer with big plans, but now everyone is cranky, including me. How do we make it through the rest of summer without completely falling apart?</p><p><b>Resources: </b></p>Embracing Summer: Supporting Children Through Seasonal TransitionsEmpowered to Conn...
How Your Attachment History Shapes Your Parenting
<p>Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!</p><p>When we think about attachment in adoption and foster care, we usually focus on the child. But parents bring their own attachment histories and life experiences into the relationship as well. Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker explores how a parent's past can shape their parenting, influence reactions to challenging behaviors, and impact family connection and healing. Dr. Wirta-Leiker is a licensed psychologist, transnational and transracial adoptee, adoptive parent, creator of the National Adoptee-Therapist Directory, and author of the Adoptees Like Me children’s book series.</p><p><b>In this episode, we discuss:</b>...
"I Don't Know What They Need" • Supporting Kids with Autism Through Big Feelings - Weekend Wisdom
<p>Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!</p><p><b>Question: </b>What advice do you have for fostering/adopting children with autism, particularly those with limited communication skills? How can we best support them in expressing big feelings and feeling safe to do so? What can we do to help them feel they have some control and feel heard when they can't always communicate what they want and have a harder time understanding what's going on?</p><p><b>Resources:</b></p>Setting Up Your Child with Autism for SuccessHelping Autistic Kids ShineWhat Is Pathological Demand Avoidance and How...
The Power of Story: Helping Kids Heal and Thrive
<p>Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!</p><p>How can storytelling help kids heal? In this episode, we talk to Dr. Sharon Zaffarese-Dippold to explore how story helps children make sense of their experiences, build resilience, and move toward thriving, including simple, everyday ways to begin using it at home. She is a psychotherapist with 27 years of experience in counseling and author of the "Garbage Bag Life" series, which emphasizes her journey through foster care.</p><p><b>In this episode, we discuss:</b></p>Can you tell us a little about your own journey and why helping children...
We Parent So Differently! How Do We Manage the Differences? - Weekend Wisdom
<p>Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!</p><p><b>Question:</b> My partner and I parent really differently, especially with our adopted child. I’m more focused on connection and understanding behavior, and my partner is much more strict and consequences-focused. We keep arguing about discipline and routines, and honestly, it’s starting to hurt our relationship too. How do we stop fighting about parenting and work better together?</p><p><b>Resources:</b></p>Prioritizing Your Marriage in Adoption, Foster Care, or Kinship CareWhen Your Child's Trauma Impacts Your MarriageSelf-Care Isn't Selfish<p><b>Related Podcasts:</b></p>Stra...
