Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Have you thought about adopting a child of a different race or ethnicity? Are you up for the job? How can you be the best family for this child? Join us when we talk with Meggin Nam Holtz, a Licensed Master Social Worker, and a Korean adoptee. She has a private counseling practice specializing in adoption.  She created an award-winning documentary film, Found in Korea, about birth search, country of origin travel, identity, and adoption.In this episode, we cover:If you are a White parent, are there different issues you need to consider depending on the race of the child you adopt?Some families prefer to adopt a bi-racial child rather than a child who is all Black or all Latinx. What are the issues to consider?Is there a difference between transracial and transcultural adoption?What does it take to raise a child to have a healthy self and racial identity. How do they differ?What are some of the issues parents should think about to determine if they are a family that should adopt across racial or ethnic lines?What should parents be prepared to do in order to help their children develop a healthy sense of self?Adoption is a family affair, so how should prospective adoptive parents prepare their extended family members for the adoption of a child of a different race or culture?How to find role models that racially mirror your child?Research on how transracially adopted children are doing.What to do if you have someone in your family that you fear will not be accepting or will not treat your child fairly?What are some issues that may come up with open adoption when adopting across racial lines?Preparation for transracial adoption goes beyond hair care; hair and skin care are important. What should parents know? 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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.Does your child struggle with controlling their big emotions? Do they seem angry or frustrated most of the time? We've got some answers! Join us to listen to this interview with Dr. Stuart Shanker, a Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Psychology at York University and author of several books, including Self-Reg: How to Help Your Child (and You) Break the Stress Cycle and Reframed: Self-Reg for a Just Society. He is also an adoptive dad.In this episode, we cover:3 basic principles of self-regulation:There is no such thing as a bad or lazy kid. No matter how difficult, out of control, distracted, or exhausted a child might seem, there’s a way forward: self-regulation.All people can learn to self-regulate in ways that promote rather than constrict growth.There is no such thing as a "fixed outcome": trajectories can always be changed, at any point in the lifespan, if only we have the right knowledge and tools.How can parents help their children become calmer when we live in a stressful, frantic, and over-stimulating world? How can parents calm themselves down in the hectic world?Five-step method for managing stress1. Reframe behavior by learning the difference between misbehavior and stress behavior and the signs of each. (Why and why now?)2. Recognize stressors. Some typical stressors broken out by age.Some “hidden stressors” that their children are struggling with - physiological as well as social and emotional. 3. Reduce stress (deep breathing (pizza breath), exercise, touch, music, pets)4. Reflect on what it feels like to be calm and what it feels like to be overstressed. 5. Restoration- energy, balance, and relationship. These steps are not a program for managing a child’s behavior. Rather, these are five steps to promote understanding a child’s behavior.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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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 wonder how to talk to your child about adoption? What if they don't seem interested? How do you talk about some of the hard stuff? This episode explores talking with children about adoption at different ages with Mari Itzkowitz, with the Center for Adoption Support and Education (CASE). She is an adoption-competent therapist and leader of the CASE Training Team, providing training and education to professionals and parents.In this episode, we cover:How does an adoptee’s understanding of adoption differ by age?  InfantsToddlers & Preschoolers School Age Tweens Teens Young Adults Older Adults How to talk about adoption at different ages? Should you wait for the child to ask questions before you tell them about their adoption story?What if your child or youth shows little or no interest in their adoption story?How does openness or lack of openness impact a child’s understanding of adoption? Should adoptive parents bring up the idea of searching for birth family?How does transracial adoption impact a child’s understanding of adoption? Our focus is often on birth mothers. How can you talk about adoption and the role of the birth father with young children who do not understand the concept of sex? What to say when you know very little about the birth parents?  How to handle hard birth parent stories? Should you tell a child that they were conceived by rape or that their birth mother is in jail or birth father suffers from addiction? At what age should you share this information? Additional Resources:Resources on Talking about AdoptionBuilding the Framework for Adopted & Foster Children to Process the Hard Parts of Their StoriesSuggested books on talking with kids about birthparentsThis 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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.We talk about raising your grandkids with Christine Adamec, coauthor with Dr. Andrew Adesman, of The Grandfamily Guidebook. She and her husband have been raising their teenage grandson since his infancy.In this episode, we cover:Why are grandparent led families increasing?What are some common emotions that grandparents and other kin experience when they realize that they need to step in and raise their grandchildren or other kin?What type of decisions should you make about legal custody or permanency? How to protect your grandchild? How to enroll them in school? How to be able to get medical and mental health care for them? How to prevent the child’s parents from removing the child from your home? Becoming a foster parent? A will?What are some of the strains that grandparents can experience with their children (the parents of their grandchildren)?How to navigate the relationship with your adult child?Explaining the situation to the child? (“Why am I living with you and not my parents?”)Raising kids that likely experience trauma, including prenatal exposure.Adjusting to parenting in this new time.Some of the joys of raising your grandchild.Resources:AARP has a Benefits QuickLINK tool to find out if you or your grandchild may qualify for 15 public benefits — 10 for adults and families and five for children.Creating a Family podcast: Helping Parents & Kids Manage Phones, Internet, & GamingThis 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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.How does parenting an adopted teen differ from parenting teens that come to us through birth? What are some of the unique challenges adopted teens or young adults face? Check out our interview with Katie Naftzger, an LCSW, Korean adoptee, and the author of “Parenting in the Eye of the Storm: The Adoptive Parent’s Guide to Navigating the Teen Years.”In this episode, we cover:Why is parenting an “adopted” teen any different from parenting a child who comes to you by birth?What issues related to adoption come to the front during the teen years?What issues that relate to early neglect or abuse, or loss come to the fore in adolescence?In your book, “Parenting in the Eye of the Storm: The Adoptive Parent’s Guide to Navigating the Teen Years,” you talk about adoptive or foster parents taking a learning stance when working with teens. What is a learning stance?Many of our kids have experienced early life adversity and carry the scars of this early trauma. Parents often naturally feel bad for their teens because of this. How can these feelings of pity interfere with the healthy parenting of teens? When to step in and help and when to let our teens figure out how to handle things on their own?Some adoptive parents adopt out of a feeling of needing to save the child. How does the savior narrative impact parenting teens?Birth family issues:Birth parents searchHandling hard birth parent situationsIdentity formation-nature vs. nurtureNavigating an open adoption with teensIdentity formation as a transracial adoptee.Transitioning into adulthood.We hear that adopted teens are more likely to have mental health issues and more likely to commit suicide. How do adoptive parents support their adopted teens? 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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.Did your child experience trauma or loss before they came to you? Do you want to help them heal? Join our conversation with Dr. Amanda Baden, a Professor and the Doctoral Program Director at Montclair State University in the graduate counseling program and a licensed psychologist in private practice in Manhattan. She is an adult adoptee from Hong Kong and an adoptive parent of a daughter from China.In this episode, we cover:What is trauma?What types of events/things create trauma?Why are trauma, abuse, and neglect so harmful to children?Is neglect a form of trauma?How trauma impacts children, and what factors influence how much the trauma impacts the child later in life?How to tell the difference between typical developmental behavior and behavior that is the result of trauma or loss?What is triangulation?How to break the triangle?Helping our kids integrate their birth, adoptive or foster, and self-identities. Many children who do not live with their birth families struggle to incorporate parts of their birth families, foster or adoptive families, and who they innately are into a whole that is their identity. How can parents help their children form a healthy, complete identity?  Practical tips for helping children heal. Often, we do not know exactly what trauma our children have experienced. Either they don’t remember, or it happened before they were verbal, or they cannot or have not told us. How can we help them if we do not know what happened to them?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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.Have you wondered if you could be the right place for an LGBTQ+ youth or child to land? Join us to talk about how to be an affirming and supportive home for LGBTQ+ youth. Or guest will be Angela Weeks, the Director of the National SOGIE Center at the Institute for Innovation and Implementation. Under the Center, she directs the Center of Excellence for LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity and the National Quality Improvement Center on Tailored Services, Placement Stability, and Permanency for LGBTQ2S Children and Youth in Foster Care.In this episode, we cover:Why are these young people over represented in child welfare?LGBTQ+ youth are 1.5 -2 times more likely to have a foster placement failure. Why?What does the research indicate about how sexual orientation and gender identity are formed?Are LGBTQ+ youth more likely to have a mental health diagnosis or behavioral issues.Are LGBTQ+ youth more likely than heterosexual or cisgender young people to sexually abuse or otherwise pose a threat to others, including children?How to help youth evaluate the safety of their communities, schools, social networks, and homes to decide whether to disclose their LGBTQ+ identity, when to do so, and to whom.Parents often think, especially with younger kids, that this is just a phase. And kids are coming out (acknowledging their sexual orientation/gender identity to themselves and others) at younger and younger ages. And there is some fluidity. So how’s a parent to know how to handle?Studies by the Family Acceptance Project have found that most people report being attracted to another person around age 10 and identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual by age 13 (on average). Most children have a stable sense of their gender identity by age 4Sexual orientation vs sexual behavior.How can parents create a welcoming and affirming home?Additional Resources:Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/lgbtqyouth.pdfGlossary of Terms (Human Rights Campaign) The National SOGIE Center. The National Center for Youth with Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, & Expression provides a centralized site for accessing resources on providing culturally responsive care to children, youth, and young adults with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression (SOGIE) and their families across systems, including child welfare, juvenile justice, mental health (including school mental health), substance use systems, and housing and homelessness. https://www.sogiecenter.org/Family Acceptance Project® LGBTQ Youth & Family Resources To Decrease Mental Health Risks & Promote Well-Being https://lgbtqfamilyacceptaSupport 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.How do you handle a birth parent showing up to a meeting with the child stoned or drunk? What do you do when a birth parent often breaks promises to the child? Join us to talk about nine sticky situations that adoptive parents often find themselves in. Our guest is Lori Holden, the author of The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption: Helping Your Child Grow Up Whole.In this episode, we cover:What do we mean by openness and why is openness or some form of a relationship considered best for adopted kids?Difficult/Sticky Situation #1: Birth Parent Addiction to drugs or alcohol.How to handle things when a birth parent shows up for a meeting with a child high or stoned.How to set healthy boundaries with birth parents who are addicted? How to set these boundaries when you have an open adoption with a birth parent dealing with addiction?Explaining drug addiction of birth parents to children.Difficult/Sticky Situation #2: Failing to show up for meetings/visits or showing up late?Determining the cause.How do you protect your child from disappointment?How to handle it if the parents are struggling with substance abuse disorder.Difficult/Sticky Situation #3: Making promises they can’t or won’t keep. Difficult/Sticky Situation #4: Should you maintain any type of relationship with a birth parent who abused or neglected the child? Difficult/Sticky Situation #5: How should parents deal with the obvious difference between openness in multiple adoptions within the same family?Difficult/Sticky Situation #6: DNA testing. If the birth parents have not told others about the child, what obligation do you have to their desires regarding DNA testing on the child? What if there are medical reasons for doing the testing?Difficult/Sticky Situation # 7: When the adoptive parent is the problem. Over-reacting, assuming the worst intentions, etc.Difficult/Sticky Situation #8: Birth family doesn’t want contact. Difficult/Sticky Situation #9: Birth siblings being parented by the birth parents.Why should parents try to maintain relationships with the birth family in difficult situations?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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.When should your child get a smartphone? What can you do if your child spends too much time playing video games? How can we protect our kids from the downsides of social media? Join us to talk about parenting and technology with Krista Boan, co-founder of the nonprofit Screen Sanity.In this episode, we cover:Digital Health: Screen Sanity’s 5 Rules of Thumb.Ride, practice, drive” approach for device and app introduction.How to handle a foster, adoptive, or kinship placement of a child that has already gone down that slippery slope of too much screen time and tech. How do you establish reasonable boundaries?Is it still recommended that parents establish a "no expectation of privacy" policy for online activity? At what age/stage should that start to change?How to handle when your family has vastly different rules from your child’s friend’s families when you don’t want your child to feel left out? Screentime:What is a reasonable rule of thumb for how much screen time a child should be allowed by age?What is considered screen time?School work?Facetime with family or friends? Drawing or coding games?Social media?How do we handle cell phones and tablets when we see more negative behavior from any usage? Smartphones:At what age should a child be given a smartphone? What questions should you ask before you give a child a smartphone?What are the alternatives to a smartphone? What are good starter phones? Video Games:How to manage the addictive nature of video games?How to strike the balance between limiting the time of video games when this is where many kids socialize.Screen Sanity’s Video Game Decision Tree Social Media:What are the pitfalls, and how can we protect our kids?When should kids be allowed to be on social media? How can parents keep up with what their kids are doing on social media?The Social Media Playbook is a parent-child workbook for starting powerful conversations about social media. Families are prompted to dig deeper into the purpose of social media in their lives and question the false standards it places on its users. Pornography:How do we protect our kids and youth from pornography?Good Pictures, Bad Pictures bookScreen Sanity has parent guides, training, webinars, and study groups. 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 FaSupport 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.Kari Dady joins us to talk about applying the guiding principles of Trust-Based Relational Intervention® to typical parenting situations. Kari Dady is a Regional Training & Consultation Specialist with the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development. She is also an adoptive mom who uses the TBRI® approach daily in her family.In this episode, we cover:What is parental attachment style, and how does it influence how we parent?How does trauma affect the developing child? What are some of the different types of trauma that impact a child?What are the core principles of Trust-Based Relational Intervention®(TBRI®)?TBRI® talks about parents needing to make a mindset shift when looking at challenging behavior.  What is this mindset shift?How can parents apply Trust-Based Relational Intervention®(TBRI®) to the following common behaviors:Inability to accept rules, restrictions, or the word “no”Tantrums, WhiningSleep issuesLyingStealingThis 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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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 that is more—louder, more energetic, more argumentative, more everything? Intense children can be harder to raise, but their intensity is a gift as well as a parenting challenge. We talk with Howard Glasser, creator of the Nurtured Heart Approach to parenting. He is the author of Transforming the Difficult Child and Transforming the Intense Child Workbook.In this episode, we cover:What do you consider to be an intense child? My child was “more”—more loud, more energy—their reaction to most things was simply more. They go from 5 mph to 60mph in about a second. How to raise the intense child.What are the labels and diagnoses that intense children often accumulate? ADHD, ODD (Oppositional Defiance Disorder), conduct disorder, PTSD, anxiety disorder, depression.What makes some kids more “intense” than others? What do you mean by energy-challenged kids? Unable to handle or effectively control their physical, cognitive or emotional energy. They have a disorder of self-control. They have more energy than they have self-control.Energy is a gift as well as a challenge.You mention in Transforming the Difficult Child that many intense or difficult kids love video games—more so than the average child.  Why? Structure-while I think all children need structure, the high-intensity child really needs structure. Positive forms of structure vs. negative forms of structureTraditional parenting techniques did not work well for my intense little wonder. Your approach to raising an intense child is based on your Nurturing Heart Approach as outlined in your book, Transforming the Difficult Child and Transforming the Intense Child Workbook. What are the basic principles of this approach to parenting? The 3 strands.Strand 1: Refuse to energize the negative. What are some of the challenges parents face when applying this? What are some common ways we might accidentally energize the negative?Strand 2: Energize the positive. active recognition, experiential recognition, proactive recognition, creative recognition.Is there a problem with too much praise?Strand 3: Absolute clarity on limits and consequences. How to set limits?Intensity is not something that a person outgrows.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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsSupport 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 worry that your decision to foster or adopt will hurt the kids you are already raising? Check out this podcast with Dr. Jana Hunsley, an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of Texas at Dallas, trauma therapist, TBRI® Practitioner, and founder of Project 1025. In this episode, we cover:FosteringWhat are some of the common impacts of fostering on children already in the family? Both potentially negative and positive.What does your research show on how significant and how often children already in the home are negatively impacted by fostering?Should you Include kids in the decision to foster? If so, how does that look at different ages?For children already in the home, is there a better age to start fostering because of their ability to understand what the family is doing?Is it harder to introduce a foster child when there is only one existing child in the home. Do only children have a harder time adjusting?How much information about the new child should you share with the other kids in the home?AdoptionHow do the impacts of adopting differ from the impacts of fostering? With adoption you usually have more time.The child may already be living with you.Adoption is for forever, while fostering is usually temporary.You may care more about creating a lasting sibling relationship between the children.How much of a say should you give kids already in the family over whether you adopt?Common WorriesThe new child may have developed behaviors that helped them survive in their prior home or are the physical symptoms of the trauma they experienced, such as tantrums, stealing, cursing, etc. Parents worry that these behaviors will rub off on their child.How to handle possible behaviors that could be harmful to kids already in the family. For example, acting out sexually with the other kids.New foster kids and some kids being placed for adoption have often had a diet higher in processed foods. How to handle this difference if you don’t want the kids in the family to eat too much processed foods.The lack of time and attention will hurt kids already in the family.Tips for ParentsHow can parents lessen the impact and increase the benefits of fostering or adopting for kids already in the family.Prepare children in the family in advance. What do children in the home need to be prepared for? (Differs significantly depending on the age of all the children involved)How to handle rule differences and behavioral expectations.How to handle the differing privileges and expectations that may have been assigned to kids by age in the past but age may not be the best measure or gauge now. For example, staying at home alone while dad runs to the store. Or bedtimes. Or visits alone to grandparents.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 happens when identical twins born in Vietnam are separated by adoption, with one adopted by a US family and one adopted by a Vietnamese family? Join us to talk with Erika Hayasaki, a journalist and author of Somewhere Sisters: A Story of Adoption, Identity and the Meaning of Family.In this episode, we cover:The story.Twin studies.Adoption studies.The similarities of the twins in your story and in twin studies.The differences between the twins in your story and in twin studies.ReunitingHow did the twins' reunion affect them, their family in Vietnam, and their adopted family in the US?Complications that the disparate degrees of wealth caused.Adoptive parents’ role in reunion.Twin studies referenced:Polderman, T., Benyamin, B., de Leeuw, C. et al. Meta-analysis of the heritability of human traits based on fifty years of twin studies. Nat Genet 47, 702–709 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng.3285Website based on the research cited above: MaTCH. This website provides a resource for the heritability of all human traits that have been investigated with the classical twin design. The traits have been classified into 28 broad trait domains, as well as according to the standard classification schemes of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) or the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10). Currently, the database includes information from 2748 papers, published between 1958 and 2012, reporting on 17804 traits on a total of 14,558,903 twin pairs. https://match.ctglab.nl/#/homeThis 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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.Have mealtimes become a battleground in your house, is your child a picky eater, or do you have a child who eats too much? We provide lots of tips in our conversations with Dr. Katja Rowell, a family doctor and author of Love Me, Feed Me, 2nd edition, and Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky Eating. She has a special interest in supporting foster and adoptive parents.In this episode, we cover:What are some of the typical food issues for adopted or foster kids, especially those who have experienced trauma?How does trauma impact feeding?Responsive eating leaves space to recognize what the body needs.What do you mean by felt safety and focusing on connection?What is a responsive and flexible framework for feeding kids with brain-based differences?How to best deal with kids who are significantly underweight.How to best handle extreme pickiness.How to handle children who are eating too much, emotional eaters, or who are overweight.Why do kids from foster care or institutional settings often become larger than optimal for their health?Practical tips for establishing healthy eating patterns in adopted or foster kidsmodified family style servingsupporting nutritionsensory support at mealtimesfood “exposure” therapyAdditional Resources:Love Me, Feed MeBlog: Parents on dessert with dinnerFollow Dr. Rowell on InstagramThis 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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingSupport 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.Are you planning on claiming the Adoption Tax Credit when you file your taxes this year? If so, this is the podcast for you! We talk with two of the top experts in the US on the Adoption Tax Credit: Becky Wilmoth, an Enrolled Agent and Adoption Tax Credit Specialist with Bill’s Tax Service, and Josh Kroll, the Adoption Subsidy Resource Center coordinator at the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC).In this episode, we cover:What is the Adoption Tax Credit for adoption being claimed on 2022 federal taxes?How to advocate for refundability?What is a “credit” and how does it differ from a deduction or some other form of tax savings?If you get a tax refund every year, how would you use the Adoption Tax Credit?If you don’t have any federal tax liability, should you still apply the credit to your federal income taxes?What types of adoptions are included or excluded? Stepparent adoption? Embryo adoption? Same-sex partner second-parent adoption? Unmarried heterosexual second-parent adoption? Surrogacy?Can you get credit for each adoption you complete even if completed in the same year? What about adopting siblings at the same time?What is a Qualified Adoption Expense for purposes of the Adoption Tax Credit 2022?When can you claim the Adoption Tax Credit?Domestic private adoptionInternational AdoptionRe-adoption in the US for international adoptionFoster Care AdoptionHow does the Adoption Tax Credit work with kinship adoptions? What if the child never was involved with foster care?Special Needs Adoption: How does the Adoption Tax Credit differ for adoptions from foster care? What does the IRS accept as proof of “special needs”?$0 subsidy agreementSpecial needs child for international adoptionCan you reclaim your expenses for an attempted adoption that did not result in a placement? How?What income level (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) is excluded from claiming the Adoption Tax Credit in 2022?How long can the credit be carried over?Are you able to amend the previous year's tax return to claim the adoption tax credit? Is the adoption tax credit something you can amend, and if so, how do you amend and how many years back?Will the Adoption Tax Credit offset self-employment tax?How does the Secure Act impact claiming the Adoption Tax Credit for 2022 taxes?What should you do if the child’s Social Security Number is not available when you file?Should you use an Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number (ATIN #) if you don’t have the child’s social security number?How does the Adoption Tax Credit work in conjunction with employee adoption benefits? For special needs adoption?Qualified Birth or Adoption Distribution from Qualified Retirement Plan without penalty. USupport 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.Are you thinking about adopting this year? You don't want to miss this discussion of how to adopt and current trends in private infant adoption, foster care adoption, and international adoption. Our guests are Chris Peszka, MSW, Regional and District Supervisor at Adoptions From The Heart Adoption Agency, and Robin Sizemore, Executive Director of Hopscotch Adoptions.In this episode, we cover: Domestic infant private adoption in the USWhat is the process?What are the reasons that pregnant moms are placing their child?Open adoptionExpectant parent choiceSpecial needs of children availableHow long does it take? What factors influence this time?How much does it cost? What factors influence this cost?Adoption agency and adoption attorneyWhat is the first step prospective adoptive parents should take if they are interested in adopting a baby?Adoptions from foster care in the USWhat is the process?Adopting your foster childAdopting a waiting childWhat are the reasons that children are available for adoption from foster care in the US?What age and race of child is available for adoption from foster care?Special needs?How long does it take?How much does it cost?What is the first step prospective adoptive parents should take if they are interested in adopting from foster care?International adoptions to the USWhat is the process?What type of children are available for adoption from abroad?How long does it take? What factors influence this time?How much does it cost? What factors influence this cost?What is the first step prospective adoptive parents should take if they are interested in adopting internationally?What are some of the shifts in adoption in the last 5 or so years?What are some of the changes anticipated for 2023 and beyond?Additional resources:Adoptions in the US: How Many? How Much? How Long?Choosing an Adoption Agency or AttorneyThis 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 podcastsWeekly 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.How do you know when enough is enough? What do you do when infertility treatment and adoption don't end up with you having a child. Join us to talk with Rebecca and Sallyann Majoya, co-authors of the memoir Uncertain Fruit, and Carole LieberWilkins, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist providing individual and couples counseling, as well as psychoeducational consultations, for those moving into alternative paths to parenthood and living child-free.In this episode, we cover:Deciding to live child-free is becoming increasingly common in the US. Research has found that 30 percent of women of childbearing age identifying wanting to live child-free. However, that is not reflective of the people we are speaking to who have likely tried infertility treatment or adoption and it hasn’t worked for them.What is the right name: childfree or childless? Are you childfree by choice or childfree not by choice?Age is less of a biological cut off point than in the past and that complicates the decision of whether to stop trying to have a child.How do people know when it is time to stop trying? What are the signs that it is time to stop. How do you know when enough is enough?Is making the decision to live childfree ‘giving up’?Are there predictable steps for reaching the decision of when it is time to stop fertility treatment or adoption? Determining when you should stop.How to decide to stop?‘Trying on’ the futureSeeking new goal/visionTherapyHow can “giving up the dream” of children impact a couple’s relationship?How to handle when both partners are not on the same page.Once you’ve made the decision, should you take steps to not get pregnant? The “not-try-but-not-prevent” approach.For many, the decision to live child free not by choice causes grief, but this loss is invisible. It’s hard for others to see or understand, so we mourn without the support of our community.What can people do to help themselves resolve the grief of not having kids?Writing a letter to the child you will never know.Giving this dream child a “funeral.” Doing something with the letter that is akin to a funeral. Concrete reminders that the person is gone. Create a ritual to say goodbye.Writing a memoir. Create a new life goal. A new vision for your future.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 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.Are adoptive parents eligible for parental leave? What about foster parents or kinship parents? We talk with Dr. Amy Beacom and Sue Campbell, with the Center for Parental Leave Leadership and co-authors of The Parental Leave Playbook.In this episode, we cover:What are the laws and rules surrounding parental leave in the US?Who is eligible for parental leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)?Parental leave on the company levelHow does parental leave differ from maternity leave paternity leave?Policies that require employees to pay back their parental leave if they do not stay employed with the company/organization for a certain period of time. How does this differ from other countries?Are the laws/rules different for mothers and fathers? Are they gender neutral?Do you receive your salary when you are on parental leave?Does parental leave differ for someone adopting a child?Are adoptive families are protected under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)?Are birth mothers eligible for parental leave?Does their have to be a legal relationship between the parent and the child? Does parental leave differ for someone fostering a child? Are you eligible for parental leave with every new foster placement?Can kinship caregivers receive parental leave?The Parental Leave Playbooklays out a process for approaching parental leave in three phases: preparing for your leave, during leave, and returning from leave.What steps should you take to be successful in each phase?To support the Paid Leave for All Act 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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.We talk with Isaac and Julie Etter, a mom and son, about what they have learned about transracial adoption and what they wish they had known at the beginning. Isaac is the founder of Identity, a startup focused on using technology to help adoptive and foster families thrive. Julie Etter is a mom of five and a humanities teacher.In this episode, we cover:Isaac, tell us your adoption story from your perspective. Why were you placed for adoption? What were the first two years of your life like? Where you were raised?Julie, what was your motivation for adopting? Were there other children in the family?What was the racial demographics of your community?Julie, what were you taught about transracial adoption before you adopted?Isaac, how did you identify racially as a young child? When did you start identifying as black?Did you experience racism growing up?Julie, did you see racism directed towards Isaac as a child?Did you tell your parents?Julie, what do you wish you had known before you adopted a Black child? Would you have done anything differently?Isaac, what do you want transracial adopted parents to know?Julie, what advice would you give other parents who have or are considering adopting tranracially?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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.How do some kids survive a life of poverty, homelessness, abuse, and foster and eventually thrive? We talk with David Ambroz is a national poverty and child welfare expert and advocate and the author of the memoir, A Place Called Home.  He was recognized by President Obama as an American Champion of Change. Currently serving as the Head of Community Engagement (West) for Amazon, Ambroz previously led Corporate Social Responsibility for Walt Disney Television, and has served as president of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission as well as a California Child Welfare Council member. After growing up homeless and then in foster care, he graduated from Vassar College and later earned his J.D. from UCLA School of Law. He is a foster dad and lives in Los Angeles, CA.In this episode, we cover:Poverty and Homelessness:His story.SchoolWhat made a difference?What should adults who encounter or work with homeless children/youth know?Foster Care:His story.Youth who identify as LGBTQ+ are overrepresented in foster care (Human Rights Campaign, 2015). While approximately 5 percent of the general population is estimated to be LGBTQ+, studies estimate that about 30 percent of youth in foster care identify as LGBTQ+. Why are these young people over represented in child welfare? LGBTQ+ youth are 1.5 -2 times more likely to have a foster placement failure.What would you want foster parents to know?What made the difference in your eventually succeeding? (Going to Vassar and UCLA Law School.)The lack of available treatments for mental illness.Why did you become a foster parent?Why did you title the book “A Place Called Home?”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.How much do you really know about your fertility, menstrual cycles, and conception? Join us to learn more with Dr. Joyce Harper, a Professor of Reproductive Science at the Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, and the head of the Reproductive Science and Society Group. She is the author of  Your Fertile Years.In this episode, we cover:Understanding the menstrual cycleUnderstanding the basic of conceptionPredicting ovulationBasics of InfertilityWhat percentage of infertility is caused by the female partner, the male partner, or both?What causes a woman to not ovulate?Initial workup for women who meet the definition of infertilityWorkup for Recurrent Pregnancy LossTreatment Options for Infertility How does the infertility workup differ for the LGBTQ+ community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Non-binary, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and Gender Nonconforming Individuals)? 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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.Are you a foster or adoptive parent whose child is taking mood altering medications or medications to help them sleep? You will learn a lot about these medications and what you can do to make them as effective as possible. We talk with Dr. Adam Langenfeld, a Developmental Pediatrician at Children's Minnesota hospital. He also has a Ph.D. in chemistry.In this episode, we cover:What are psychotropic medications?What are the classes of psychotropic medications? What are some commonly prescribed medications in each class?What mental health issues are these medications addressing?Symptoms of anxiety and depression in children.Situational anxiety or depression. SCARED checklist anxiety Childhood Depression InventoryHow do psychotropic medications work? A basic overview of Psych Pharmacology.Simulation of a brain synapsisHow are medications in each of these classes administered?Does timing of the day matter?How effective is melatonin? Does proximity to meals matter when administering these medications?What are some of the side effects of the most commonly used psychotropic medications?Psychedelics? Supplements (such as CBD)?Why are children in foster care more likely to be on psychotropic medications?Does use of psychotropic medications in childhood increase the likelihood of substance abuse in adolescence or adulthood?What can parents do to help these medications be as effective as possible?How to know when a child should taper down or get off of psychotropic medications?If parents believe that the child is on too many psychotropic medications, what should they do? Additional Resources:Children in Foster Care Much More Likely to be Prescribed Psychotropic Medications Compared with Non-Foster Children in Medicaid Program National Alliance on Mental Illness, Quick Reference to Psychiatric Medications Common Medications Used in Psychiatric Treatment Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) Children’s Depression Inventory 2nd Edition  (there is a fee for this inventory)Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children 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.Are you a transracial adoptive or foster parent? Have you wondered how you can help your child form a healthy racial identity. Does racial identity formation change depending on the race of the child? Today we talk about all this and more with Dr. Gina Miranda Samuels, a professor at the University of Chicago and Director of the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture. She is a transracial adoptee and co-author of the book Multiracial Cultural Attunement.In this episode, we cover:How do children in the US come to understand race at different ages and developmental stages?How early do children develop a racial bias? How early do children associate certain characteristics to race and show a preference towards a person of a certain race? How does transracial adoption or fostering or kinship care impact a child’s understanding of race?How does transracial or transcultural adoption or fostering or kinship care impact children? Racial identity formation: How does being adopted transracially impact the adoptee’s racial identity formation?Coping with racismIn your research and in your experience, do you see a difference in the experience of race is perceived by both transracial adoptees or adoptive or foster parents depending on the race of the child? Asian, Latinx, Black, Bi-racial?Why is taking the colorblind approach to parenting not helpful? “It’s About More Than Hair”Transracial parenting requires the family to be fluent in “race talk” – socialization is not a conversation, it is a daily, incremental, and developmental family process.As our kids age, what is it like for our tweens, teens, and young adults to have parents of a different race?How does transracial adoption or fostering impact siblings in the family who are the same race as the parents?How does transracial adoption or fostering affect extended family members, such as grandparents and aunts and uncles?Practical tips for parents raising a child of a different race or ethnicity.Additional Resources:Diverse Book FinderThe Brown Bookshelf – highlights Black voices writing for young readers.The Conscious Kid Multiracial Cultural Attunement by Gina Miranda Samuels and Kelly Faye Jackson, 2019Tips for parenting your transracially adopted child by Dr. Gina Samuels EmbraceRace was founded to create the community and gather the resources they needed (need!) to meet the challenges faced by those raising children in a world where race matters.Dr. Erin Winkler, 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 are the common health issues foster parents and those adopting from foster care should expect? We talk with Christy Street, Program Director of Fostering Health NC, which is a program of North Carolina Pediatric Society.In this episode, we cover:Term “health” broadly to encompass physical, emotional, mental, behavioral, developmental, educational, and oral health.Impact of trauma on kids physical and mental health.Those areas of the brain most affected by trauma, especially early trauma, are those involved in stress response, emotional regulation, attention, cognition, executive function, and memory. An issue with foster care parenting is limited access to health care before entering foster care and lack of knowledge about previous health care. How does this impact care and what can foster or adoptive parents do?The role of transience and uncertainty for kids in foster care provides challenges for foster parents and doctors in providing health care to kids in foster care.ImmunizationsMedicaid Care managementFoster kids often come to us with a bag full of medications that have been prescribed somewhere along the line and a host of diagnoses. What role can foster or soon to be adoptive parents play?  What are psychotropic drugs and why are so many foster children on them?What can foster parents do if they question the amount or type of medication their foster child is taking or even the underlying diagnosis? What role does a foster parent have in seeking a change in medication for their foster child?What doctor do you take your foster child to? Your pediatrician? Their previous doctor, if they had one? The doctor that has prescribed the medication?Pre-natal exposure to alcohol and drugs: impact, diagnosis. One of the most confusing aspects of caring for a child in foster care is identifying who has the authority to consent for health care on behalf of the child or adolescent. Varies by state (caseworker can tell you).Sleep issues with foster children. What causes sleep issues? What can foster parents or parents adopting from foster care do to help children in foster care sleep better?How common are weight issues in foster children? Why is obesity and being overweight an issue? What can foster parents or parents adopting from foster care do? Dental care for foster children. How much and how soon?Coping with feelings of “why bother” when a foster child will return to the same chaotic household they came from.Additional ResourcesGuide for Use and Monitoring of Psychotropic Medications in Children & AdolescentsSupport 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.Are you thinking about using donor sperm, egg, or embryo or using a surrogate? We talk about the current trends in third party reproduction with Corey Burke, an embryologist and Tissue Bank Director at Cryos International Sperm & Egg Bank.In this episode, we cover:What do we mean by third-party reproduction?What are some of the current trends in sperm donation? What are some of the current trends in egg donation?What are some of the current trends in surrogacy?What are some of the current trends in embryo donation?  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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.Is your child more challenging than most? Do typical parenting approaches not work? We talk about how to parent harder-to- parent kids with Dr. Ross Greene, the originator of the Collaborative & Proactive Solutions parenting model, a non-punitive, non-adversarial, trauma-informed model of care. Dr. Greene is a clinical psychologist, former Harvard professor, and the author The Explosive Child and Raising Human Beings.In this episode, we cover:Why are some kids “harder to parent”?How does trauma impact a child’s behavior?How does innate temperament or genetics impact behavior?What is the collaborative partnership approach?3 Steps to the Collaborative & Proactive approach are:The Empathy step – involves gathering information so as to achieve the clearest understanding of the kid’s concern or perspective about a given unsolved problem.The Define Adult Concern step involves the adult sharing their perspective.The Invitation step involves having the adult and kid brainstorm solutions so as to arrive at a plan of action that is both realistic and mutually satisfactory…in other words, a solution that addresses both concerns and that both parties can actually do.“Kids do well if they can.” Kids are challenging because they’re lacking the skills not to be challenging. If they had the skills, they wouldn’t be challenging. That’s because – and here is perhaps the key theme of the model — Kids do well if they can. And because (here’s another key theme) Doing well is always preferable to not doing well (but only if a kid has the skills to do well in the first place).How would you apply this approach to work with kids who have experienced trauma?Is Collaborative partnership permissive parenting?Practical applications:A child who struggles with transitions.A child who won’t accept “no” and tantrums or argues.A child who doesn’t handle change and can’t be flexible.TattlingA teen who disregards curfew or other house rules.How to deal with aggressive behaviors towards pets, siblings, or parents?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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.Have you ever thought about adopting a child from abroad? What does it take and what type of kids are available? To learn more, listen to our interview with Robin Sizemore, Executive Director of Hopscotch Adoptions, who has worked in the international adoption field for 27 years and Debbie Price, Executive Director of Children’s House International and who has worked in international adoption for 28 years. In this episode, we cover:Outline of the typical international adoption process.What type of kids are available for international adoption?What is the youngest child available?Is it possible to get a young healthy child or baby?International adoption regulations.What governmental entities are involved in international adoption?How to decide on what country to adopt from? Will the country accept you? Does the country place children that you think your family is a good fit for?What are some of the country-specific requirements for adoptive parents?Can adoption agencies have different or more stringent requirements than the foreign or US government?What are the health risks for children adopted internationally?  What type of special needs do children have?What type of care do children have before adoption? Institutional vs foster care.How to find children abroad who are waiting for adoption? How to adopt a child on a waiting child website?How much information will you have on the health of the child when you receive a referral?How big of a risk is it that a country will close down to international adoption once you apply? How do you mitigate the risk of losing the money you invested? What to look for in an international adoption agency?Pre-adoption education requirements.How much does international adoption cost?Are grants available?What is the Adoption Tax Credit and can it be used for an international adoption? How long does it take to adopt internationally?Is it possible for single women, gays, lesbians, or other members of the LGBTQ+ community to adopt internationally?Importance of post-adoption reporting.How do internationally adopted children acquire US citizenship?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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/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.Are you getting ready to adopt or have just adopted? Do you wonder what the experience will really be like and what you can do to prepare? Join our conversation with Dr. Jennifer Bliss, LCSW and Director of Adoptions and Foster Care at Vista Del Mar and Family Services in Los Angeles; and Molly Berger, MSW and Adoption Social Worker at Adoption Center of Illinois.In this episode, we cover:Domestic Infant Adoption:ProcessTypical stresses adoptive parents feelLack of sleepNot deserving to complainFeeling like a babysitterNot feeling love at first siteImpact of infertility struggles on transitioning into parenthoodStresses with parenting a child with neonatal abstinence syndromeStresses with open adoptionOlder child adoption through foster care or international adoption:ProcessTypical stresses adoptive parents feelUnrealistic expectations of the child and of yourselfLove at first siteFeeling like a babysitterLanguage issuesCultural issuesParental attachment styles-How the way we were parented influences how we parent.Challenging behaviorsSibling issuesChange is stressful and adding a child to your family is a huge change regardless of how the child joins the family. What can newly adoptive parents do to prepare in advance and to cope in those first few months?How has the idea of cocooning impacted stress?Additional Resources: Doc McStuffins, "Baby McStuffins" (Season 3)Sesame Street, "Gina Adopts a Baby"Suggested Book List on Preparing Children for Adoption of a SiblingSuggested Book List on Explaining Adoption To Birth Siblings of Adopted ChildrenCreating a Family resources on Disrupting Birth OrderCreating a Family courses on Combining Kids by Birth and AdoptionThis 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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of famiSupport 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's IVF like for the male partner? We spend a lot of time talking about the experience of infertility treatment for the person going through treatment, but what about their partner? We talk with Keegan Prue, the author of "The IVF Dad." He and his wife Olivia went through two rounds of IVF and suffered two miscarriages before welcoming their daughter. In this episode, we cover:Tell us your story to parenthood.The imagined role of the male partner: strong, supportive, and not needing support.Media messages about men that impact how they can respond to infertility: men take action to fix problems, showing emotion makes you weak, real men don’t ask for or need help, real men are virile, being a father is part of what makes you a man.What are some things that you learned that the male partner can do to improve the quality or quantity of sperm.What are some common emotions men or those supporting a person trying to get pregnant might feel when they start infertility treatment: anger; embarrassment; jealousy; fear that is won’t work; worry (over costs, impact of the treatment on their partner and their relationship), feeling less manly.How can the supporting partner take care of themselves during treatment? The partner’s role in giving the shots. What are some common feelings they experience?Tips for staying connected with your partner through the stress of fertility treatment.Dealing with miscarriage yourself while supporting your partner.The role of infertility nurses. You wanted to nominate your infertility nurse for sainthood. What did she do that made the stressful experience of infertility and its treatment more bearable for you as the male partner.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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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 think your child or your family would benefit from counseling? How do you find the right therapist and how can you tell in advance if they will be a good fit for your family? We talk with Debbie Riley, a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist and CEO of the Center for Adoption Support and Education.In this episode, we cover:What type of professional can provide therapy to an adopted or foster child or family?What’s the difference between being adoption competent and adoption informed?Why is competency in adoption or foster issues important?What do we mean be an “adoption competent therapist”? What makes a therapist adoption competent?Is adoption/foster competence the same as trauma competence?How can you tell if a therapist is competent to handle adoption or foster issues? Are there specific trainings that provide adoption competency?Creating a Family provides a list of ways to find an adoption competent therapist on our Adoption Therapy section.Is one type of therapeutic model of treatment more effective for adoptive children and families? Theraplay, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), Narrative therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), etc.Should therapy with adopted kids on adoption issues involve just the child, or the child and the parent?What is home-based therapy and are there advantages to this type of therapy for adoptive and foster families.How can you find a therapist that will provide therapy within the home? (One source is http://www.familycenteredtreatment.org/)Is therapy via tele-health or via teleconferencing as effective for adopted children? For families? How to know if it will work for your family? Ways to make it more effective.How can a parent determine if the therapist is a good fit for the child and family? What questions should they ask?How many sessions to try?When to seek a therapist?How to find a therapist with lived experience of being adopted?ResourcesHow to find an adoption competent therapist? A Guide to Selecting an Adoption or Foster Therapist10 Reasons for Parents to be in Child’s Therapy SessionBeneath the Mask: Understanding Adopted Teens & Beneath the Mask: For Teen Adoptees: Teens and Young Adults Share Their StoriesSupport 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.Have you ever thought about becoming a foster parent? If so, this is the podcast for you! We talk with Arnie Eby, the Executive Director of the National Foster Parent Association and a foster parent for 22 years; and Angie Jones, a licensed clinical social worker and the Intensive Service Foster Care Recruiter and Trainer at Vista Del Mar, an agency placing foster children.In this episode, we cover:What is the goal of the foster care system?How to become a foster parent?What are the typical requirements for becoming a foster parent? What disqualifies you to become a foster parent?What type of pre-service training is involved?How long does it usually take to become a licensed foster parent?Who licenses foster parents?What types of questions should parents ask when deciding on which agency to work with?What are the different levels of licensing for foster homes? Do foster parents get paid?Can you foster if you rent your home or apartment?Does one parent have to be at home if they want to have infants or young pre-school aged children placed with them?How much control do foster parents have on which child is placed with them?What is expected of foster parents when a child is placed with them?Can you travel with a foster child? Out of state? Out of the country?What is shared parenting or co-parenting?What type of support should foster parents expect from the agency they are licensed through?Is it possible to adopt your foster child? How do you foster and adopt?How much control do foster parents have on visitation, medical treatment, mental health care, and reunification?How to cope with the grief when a foster child leaves?Where can foster parents turn for support?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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.We talk today with Sarah Naish, the CEO of the Center of Excellence in Child Trauma and founder of the National Association of Therapeutic Parents. She is the author of "The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting" and "The A-Z of Survival Strategies for Therapeutic Parents." She is the adoptive mom to a sibling group of 5 who are now adults and she has fostered over 40 kids.In this episode, we cover:Why are some kids harder to parent and why especially are kids who have experienced trauma, including prenatal trauma, often harder to parent?Understanding the cause of the behavior is the root of parenting harder to parent kids.Establish the basics to make their lives predictable so they can feel safe and grow and heal. The elements for establishing this base:RoutinesEstablish yourself as a safe base-empathetic and nurturing but in controlRespond to the child, not to the child’s demandBe honest about their story, contact, etc. – be factual, but don’t fill in the gapsEstablish strong, clear boundaries- what to do when these boundaries are crossed?Use natural or life consequencesOur kids may not recognize cause and effect.Early trauma, including prenatal exposure, can hinder a child’s ability to recognize cause and effectOur kids may be developmentally younger than their chronological years which also impacts understanding.Natural consequences help children recognize that they can make an impact on the world-helps them make sense of the worldCombine natural consequences with nurturance.How to handle incidents when they happen. PARENTS model.Pause-to allow you to respond with intention not emotion.Assess-is anyone in danger or serious damage.Reflection-quick reflection to identify the trigger.Empathize rather than ask questionsuse empathetic commentary-respond to their feelings rather than the behavior.Nurture-examples of nurturing in the heat of the moment.Think about next action to take.What strategies might I use to resolve this? Do you need to do anything else?How can we avoid this situation in the future?Self-careOther parenting strategies for harder to parent kids. Other tools for your toolkit.Identify your triggers.Set realistic expectations.Use silliness or playfulness.Remove the audience.Help kids show they are sorry rather than demand they say they are sorry.The phone strategy.Watch what the child is doing rather than what she is saying.Payback time.Admit it when you made a mistake.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 professioSupport 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.Are you considering donor egg or sperm? When should you consider these options? What choices do you have and what are some of the psychological hurdles you need to consider? We talk with Dr. Angela Leung, a reproductive endocrinologist at Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey; and Dr. Poonam Sharma, a Licensed Psychologist specializing in reproductive issues.In this episode, we cover:Sperm Donation:What are the possibilities of getting pregnant when the male partner has an abnormal semen analysis? Does it depend on whether sperm count, motility, or morphology are abnormal?When should patients consider sperm donation from a medical standpoint?How and when should medical providers bring up the possibility of using donated sperm? Does it matter that the “patient” is usually the female partner?What are some of the psychological issues that may arise for the female partner using a sperm donor? What are some feelings the male partner commonly experiences? What type of impact does “asymmetry of parenthood” in which there will be a biological motherhood and social fatherhood have on couples?How do these issues differ if the patient is part of a heterosexual couple, a lesbian couple, or a single parent?Egg Donation:When should patients consider egg donation from a medical standpoint?What medical conditions make egg donation appropriate?How and when should medical providers bring up the possibility of using donated eggs? Who on the medical staff is the one that usually introduces the topic? What are some of the psychological considerations for the female partner? What are some of the psychological considerations for the male partner?What type of impact does “asymmetry of parenthood” in which there will be a genetic father and biological mother who is carrying but not using her own eggs?Donor Selection:What are some general medical considerations when selecting any type of donor? (i.e., egg or sperm bank vs. live donor)What advice would you give intended parents about psychological considerations when selecting a donor?Do medical providers or mental health professionals talk with patients about the use of anonymous vs. open donors/identified donors? What issues to consider when using known/directed donors? (i.e., friends, relatives)Should you tell the child? Embryo Donation:When should patients consider using donated embryos?How to discuss this option with patients?What are some of the psychological considerations for the intended parents? Additional Resources:American Society of Reproductive Medicine Guidance Regarding Gamete and Embryo Donation This podcast is pSupport 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.Transracial adoption affects all parts of the adoption triad. We will talk today with a transracial adoptee and his birth mom and adopted mom. We will include tips for adoptive parents raising transracially adopted or fostered child.In this episode, we cover:Adoptee’s experience with transracial adoption PreschoolElementary yearsMiddle and high school yearsCode switchingFeelingsIdentity formationCollegeAdulthoodReunion with birth familyBirth Father?Birth Mother’s experience with reunion and transracial adoptionHer role in identity formationHer feelings on reunionAdoptive Mother’s experience with transracial adoptionTips for adoptive and foster parentsAdditional Information:Kyle Bullock’s Instagram: kb_2090Short documentary based on story of Kyle and his birth family and adoptive family. “Finding identity: Growing up a transracial adoptee” 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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.We talk today with Dr. Gina Samuels about Trauma and Transracial Adoption. Dr. Samuels is an Associate Professor at the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration and In-Coming Director at the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture. She is an adult transracial adoptee. She has a newly published article in the journal Child Abuse & Neglect tilted “Epistemic trauma and transracial adoption.”In this episode, we cover:How do you define trauma? What is complex trauma?What is epistemic trauma and how does it differ from the trauma caused by abuse or neglect or witnessing violence? The article, “Epistemic trauma and transracial adoption”, asks how might the theory of epistemic injustice highlight conditions endemic to the experience of adoption, and specifically transracial adoption, that mark a distinct type of trauma? How does this apply to all adoption and how specifically to transracial adoption?The article posits that the condition of being transracially adopted can represent intersectional minoritized statuses. What are some other life experiences that can result in epistemic trauma and intersectional minoritized status? Mixed race? First generation immigrant?What are ways in which transracial adoption is traumatic? Racism? Adoption based microaggressions? Racial microaggressions?What are ways in which the institution of adoption aid in this epistemic trauma? “Hermeneutical smothering”—the deployment of dominant meanings that drown out, distort, or obscure one's own meaning making processes. How does this apply in adoption? How does it apply in transracial adoption? (How adoptees experience racism; how adoptees experience adoption)“TRA does not adopt children out of racism. In fact, TRA can place children right in the center of it.” Being transracially adopted, also amplifies a person of color's proximity to whiteness, and to the meanings of race and racism that exist within in these spaces.The feeling of being more fully understood with other transracial adopted people.How can we do better? The Creating a Family Facebook Support Group had an interesting discussion from all sides of the adoption triad (adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth parents) of the following quote:  “Adoption loss is the only trauma in the world where the victims are expected by the whole of society to be grateful.” ~Rev. Keith C. Griffith Check it out at https://www.facebook.com/groups/creatingafamily/posts/10159843117386168/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:WSupport 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.We talk with Ryan Hanlon, with National Council for Adoption, about the largest survey of adoptive parents ever conducted. We talk about who adoptive parents are, the needs of the kids adopted, and so much more. In the episode, we cover:Who is adopting in the US? How are they similar and how do they differ from the general population of parents in relation to income and education level?What are the primary motivations for parents to adopt? Does it differ based on domestic infant adoption, international adoption, and foster care adoption?What type of special needs or diagnoses do adopted children have?How well are adoptive parents meeting these needs?How are adopted kids doing in school?What degree of openness or contact with birth families is common for infant adoption, intercountry adoption, and adoptions from foster care?How do adoptive parents view their relationship with birth families?How common are attachment issues in adoption and what factors contribute to attachment problems?How are parents meeting the needs of transracially adopted children?How satisfied are adoptive parents with the decision to adopt? Knowing what they know now, would they do it again?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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.How can epigenetic changes affect your fertility or the health of your child conceived by fertility treatment? We talk with Dr. Jason Franasiak, a board certified Obstetrician Gynecologist, board certified Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility specialist, board certified High Complexity Laboratory Director in Embryology and Andrology, and lead physician of RMA’s Marlton Clinic and Lab in South Jersey. He has authored and contributed to over 100 peer reviewed publications, published chapters and abstracts. He serves on the Editorial Board for Fertility and Sterility and the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.In this episode, we cover:What is epigenetics?What factors can influence or affect the epigenome?Can we “see” epigenetic changes?How do epigenetic factors impact our health?What are the genetic and epigenetic factors associated with female infertility?What are the genetic and epigenetic factors associated with female PCOS?What are the genetic and epigenetic factors associated with endometriosis?What are the genetic and epigenetic factors associated with primary ovarian insufficiency?What are the genetic and epigenetic factors associated with male infertility?How could epigenetics affect modifications in invitro fertilization and invitro embryo development?Imprinting disordersDo environmental factors affect epigenetics?What are epigenetic disorders?Are children conceived by IVF more likely to have epigenetic disorders?Can epigenetic changes be heritable across generations?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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.We know our kids have experienced trauma, but how can we help them overcome this trauma to become healthy happy adults. We talk about resilience and overcoming an adverse beginning with Dr. Julian Ford and Dr. Amanda Zelechoski. Dr. Ford is a clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychiatry and Law at the University of Connecticut where he directs two Treatment and Services Adaptation Centers in the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Dr. Ford is past President of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and has published more than 250 articles and book chapters and is the author or editor of 10 books. Dr. Amanda Zelechoski is a licensed clinical and forensic psychologist specializing in trauma. She is a professor of psychology and Director of Clinical Training at Purdue University Northwest.In this episode, we cover:What are some of the different types of events/situations that can be traumatic to a child?Do different types of trauma affect children differently? Short term but intense trauma. Long term trauma at the hands of a primary caregiver. Neglect? Witnessing domestic violence? Prenatal trauma?Why does early life trauma make it harder for kids to succeed at life?What are some signs of trauma by age of child? Preschool? Elementary? Middle and High School? (learning, physical health, mental health, trouble with the law, etc.)How to help our kids overcome their traumatic background and thrive? How to rewire the neurons?TriggersEmotional regulation.What can parents do to help their kids bounce back from their early life trauma?What is the key element to resilience?How can parents encourage resilience?What role does temperament or personality play in resilience to trauma?How long does it take for kids to “heal” from trauma?Are there specific types of therapy that are more effective than others for helping children overcome trauma? Does it differ depending on the type of trauma?Resources: Roadmap to Resilience Podcast series. www.roadmaptoreslience.orgThis 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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.We talk with a panel of former foster youth about their stories and what helped them survive their trauma and succeed in life.In this episode, we cover:What were the two most important things in helping you heal and ultimately thrive after your years in foster care and early life trauma?Was their one or two people in your life who helped you overcome? What did they do to help?Why do you think you became a survivor when others in similar positions did not?If you are parents, how has your trauma from your early years impacted your parenting?While you are successful and are “survivors” do you still carry some of the baggage from your childhood?What advice would you give foster, adoptive, and kinship parents to be most helpful to the children in their care?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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.How can you help you child succeed at school?  We talk with Heather Forbes, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the owner of the Beyond Consequences Institute. She specializes on the impact of trauma and is the author of Help for Billy and Classroom 180.In this episode, we cover:What are some of the specific issues that parents of foster and adopted kids need to consider when their children go back to school?Tips for helping kids transition into the new year.Is it better to address potentially sensitive issues up front before they happen, when they might not even happen, or wait to see if it comes up? For example, family tree assignments.What are some other potentially triggering school assignments for foster or adopted kids?How much of your child’s story should you share with your child’s teacher? How to balance the desire to keep your child’s history for them to decide who knows and sharing sensitive information with the teacher to help them work with your child.How to address the issue of your child’s past trauma and how it affects the way they behave?Why is it important to have a trauma-informed school?What can parents do to help their school and their child’s teacher become more trauma informed?A disproportionate number of adopted and foster kids have been prenatally exposed to alcohol and drugs. How does this exposure impact their education and time at school?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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.We talk with Dr. Julie Lamb about Endometriosis and Adenomyosis. Dr. Lamb is a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist practicing at Pacific Northwest Fertility in Seattle and Bellevue and serves as clinical faculty at the University of Washington.In this episode, we cover:EndometriosisWhat is endometriosis?What are the symptoms of endometriosis?What is the cause of endometriosis?Is there a genetic link to endometriosis?What factors increase your risk of developing endometriosis?Does having endometriosis make you at greater risk for cancer?How is endometriosis diagnosed?Is a definitive diagnosis necessary before treatment?How is endometriosis treated?When should laparoscopic surgery to remove the endometriosis lesions be considered for the treatment of endometriosis?When should hysterectomy be considered for treatment of endometriosis?What are endometriomas?What method is best for removing endometrial lesions: laser, electrical pulse, or other?Is it possible to cure endometriosis?What options are available to treat endometriosis on the fallopian tubes?How does endometriosis affect fertility?Does endometriosis affect the success of infertility treatment?Adenomyosis What is adenomyosis and how does it differ from endometriosis?Adenomyosis vs. FibroidsWhat are the symptoms of adenomyosis?Is there a genetic link to adenomyosis?How is adenomyosis diagnosed?How is adenomyosis treated?Does adenomyosis affect the success of infertility treatment? GeneralMore common in Black or Asian or Latina women?LupronCan endometriosis be treated through diet or lifestyle changes? 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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.How can white parents raise anti-racist children in this time of violence against people of color and protests. We talk with Dr. Ann Hazzard, a clinical child psychologist who was on the faculty at Emory University in Atlanta and co-author of Something Happened in Our Town:  A Child's Story about Racial Injustice; and Dr. Joy Harris, a Full-time Lecturer at Princeton Theological Seminary and co-author of The ABCs of Diversity: Helping Kids (and Ourselves!) Embrace Our Differences.In this episode, we cover:Embrace Race.org. Founded by black and mixed race parents to provide resources for raising black children.One Talk at a Time https://www.caminoslab.org/onetalk Providing support for Latinx American, Asian American, African American, and Black youth and their families to have conversations about race and ethnicity. They have a separate section for Black, Asian, and Latinx parents.What is the difference between not being a racist and being anti-racist?What is wrong with saying and believing any of the following: "love will conquer all", “we are all one race-the human race", and “colorblind is best”.Tip 1. Talk about RaceRacism thrives in silence. Why are many white parents silent on raise in general and within our families?When do children start recognizes racial differences?When should white parents start talking to their kids about race?How to start the conversation? Fantastic resources:Diverse Book Finder https://diversebookfinder.org/books/The Brown Bookshelf highlights Black voices writing for young readers.The Conscious Kid https://www.theconsciouskid.org/  Tip 2: Acknowledging & Celebrating Racial DiversityWhy is it important to acknowledge and celebrate racial diversity?How to acknowledge and celebrate racial diversity?Tip 3: Recognize systemic/institutionalized racism and white privilegeWhat do we mean by systemic racism?What do we mean by white privilege?How early do kids start defaulting that things associated with being white are better than being black?How can parents address institutionalize racism with their children who will likely benefit from it?How do we help teach our kids to understand power inequity so they can name it, unpack it, and dismantle it when it happens in the real world.Tip 4: Talk about Violence Against People of Color and the Protests/ResistanceSomething Happened in Our Town:  A Child's Story about Racial Injustice How much should we share with our children? At what age should we talk with them about these hard topics or is it better to shiSupport 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.One of the hardest parts of being a kinship caregiver is navigating the relationship with the child's birth parent. We talk with Dr. Joseph Crumbley, a social worker, family therapist and author of “An Overview of Kinship Care”.In this episode, we cover:Creating a Family listening sessions with kinship caregivers in rural counties.What are some of the complicating factors in the relationship between kinship caregivers and the child’s parents?Grandparents and other caregivers sometimes feel that the child’s parents will threaten them with taking the child away if they do something that the parent disapproves of.How to not enable the child’s parent but still have a relationship.How to set healthy boundaries for the caregiver’s and child’s best interest when you have years of experience not setting healthy boundaries?How to handle others in the family who interfere with the boundaries you’ve established?I don't know if this is a question, but I really struggle with getting my kids opportunities to see their mom and siblings. All other siblings have been reunited, and I gather it's painful for their mom to see the two that were adopted by us (she surrendered her rights). Although we live relatively close to them, we have only managed 2-3 visits a year, mostly because of long periods of no responses to my texts or last-minute cancellations of planned visits. Sometimes our adopted kids can't even remember their siblings' names and it just breaks my heart. I'd love for them to have a closer relationship, but I have only limited control.How to handle the anger, shame, guilt you feel at the child’s parents?How to support co-parenting when the child’s parent is still not in a healthy place?How to support reunification?For more information please refer to www.drcrumbley.com.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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.How can churches support kids in foster care and prevent children from entering foster care? Join us for our discussion with Jedd Medefind, President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) and Amber Knowles, the Executive Director of The Riverside Project (formerly Fostering Family).In this episode, we cover:We call it a foster care “crisis”. What does that term mean? What are the needs of foster children?What is each organization doing to help engage churches in caring for foster kids?What are ways people of faith can help improve the world of fostering if they know that they aren’t able to actually get licensed to foster?How can churches provide support for people once they are parenting kids from foster care—either through fostering or adoption?How can churches work to support birth families to help once the child has been reunified or to help stabilize them so that children don’t end up in care?How can faith communities get involved with supporting foster families and foster kids?The Jockey Being Family® Back to School Bash events will take place during the weekend of August 5-7th, 2022. These gatherings are geared towards foster and adoptive families with children 5-14 years of age. This is a chance to celebrate, educate, and empower families with a fun-filled and informative event as they prepare to head back to school for the upcoming year. Jockey Being Family® Foundation will provide grants for up to $3,000 to eligible organizations to help bring a Back to School Bash to your community. Together, we can be a much-needed support network for foster and adoptive families across the country. Email [email protected] for additional information. More Than EnoughFostering Family  and the Riverside ProjectVideo: Riverside Project 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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.Are you considering adopting a baby? On today's show we talk about the legal and medical risk factors you need to consider. We talk with Amy Wallas Fox about the legal risk factors in infant adoption. Ms. Fox is an attorney partner of Claiborne Fox Bradley Goldman, a North Carolina and Georgia law firm and a fellow in the American Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys. We talk with Dr. Lisa Prock, MD, MPH, about the medical risk factors in infant adoption. Dr. Prock is the Director of the Developmental Medicine Center and Associate Chief in the Division of Developmental Medicine at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.In this episode, we cover:How can a hopeful adoptive parent find a baby to adopt in the US?What is the difference between an adoption agency, adoption attorney, adoption facilitator, and adoption consultant?What is meant by an adoption-friendly state? Is there a state that is better than others to try to find an expectant mom who may want to place her child for adoption?What are the different time periods that expectant parents or birth parents have to change their mind?Adoption is covered by state law.Is it possible for a birth family to get the child back after an adoption is complete?What are some of the legal issues with birth fathers—both identified and unidentified?How does the Indian Child Welfare Act impact legal risk in adoption? What are some red flags that an expectant mom may not go through with the adoption plan and decide to parent?What are the most dangerous drugs or substances that an expectant woman can use during pregnancy as far as impact on the fetus and baby?What is the impact of alcohol on a fetus and baby, both short term and long term?What is the impact of opiates (prescription and non-prescription) on a fetus and baby, both short term and long term?What is the impact of methadone or suboxone on a fetus and baby, both short term and long term?What is the impact of heroin on baby, both short term and long term?What is the impact of methamphetamines on a baby, both short term and long term?Long term impact of prenatal exposure to cocaine or crack?If the birth mother stopped using drugs and stopped drinking when she found out she was pregnant, will the baby be spared the worst of the impact?What are the risks to the baby if the mother has Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C, HIV, syphillis?Is ADHD inheritable? Is there a gene for ADHD?Do certain mental illnesses have a genetic connection? What is the likelihood that the child will have depression, anxiety, bi-polar, schizophrenia, or other mental illnesses if the birth parents had the illness? Should adoptive parents worry if the expectant mom has not had prenatal care?This podcast is produced  by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national nonSupport 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.In this episode, we talk with Dr. Tia Jackson-Bey about Racial Disparities in Reproductive Medicine. Dr. Jackson-Bey is a Reproductive Endocrinologist with RMA of NY. She speaks frequently on reproductive justice and increasing access to fertility care and she is a member of the Americian Society for Reproductive Medicine Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce.In this episode, we cover:What biological reproductive health conditions that can impact their fertility are Black women more prone to.Tubal or uterine abnormalitiesPCOSFibroidsRacial Disparities in Infertility TreatmentAfrican American women are more likely than white women to experience infertility and wait longer to seek care.Women of color are less likely to access fertility treatment.Racial Disparities in Other Reproductive Health IssuesContraceptive usePap testsMammogramsMaternal mortalityPreterm birthLow birth weightUptake of human papillomavirus vaccinationWhat are some of the social and structural challenges that contribute to these racial and ethnic disparities?What can infertility nurses do to reduce racial disparities in reproductive health care?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 is the future for parent support groups and are online support groups here to stay? How can we make them better? We talk with Dr. Jay Miller, Dean and Dorothy Miller Research Professor at the College of Social Work, University of Kentucky. He is a former foster youth and is now a prolific researcher in what works to support foster, adoptive, and kinship families.In this episode, we cover:The Virtual Interaction Pilot Program at the University of KentuckyHow to create a sense of community and relationship building with online parent support groups?How many is too many participants in online groups?What platform is best? Zoom? Microsoft Teams? Google Meet?What day of week and time of day is best for participation?Are there differences between urban vs. rural support groups?How to increase engagement in meetings? Do hybrid parent support groups work?What is the future for foster, adoptive, and kinship parent support groups?Do you see a difference in support groups for kinship parents?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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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.Foster youth or children who have been in the foster care system make up over 80% of children being sexually exploited. What can you do to prevent this from happening to your child? We talk with Audrey Morrissey, Co-Executive Director of My Life My Choice, a survivor-led nonprofit fighting sexual exploitation of youth.In this episode, we cover:What are some of the different forms that sexual exploitation can take?What is included in sexual trafficking?Internet exploitation.How does grooming take place.Are foster children disproportionately represented in the sexually exploited population?Are children who have experienced trauma over represented?Seeking love and connection.Sexual exploit of boys?What can parents do to protect their children from sexual exploitation?What resources are available to parents and young people?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 podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family buildingPlease leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamilySupport 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