Calendar Conversations: A Guide for Adoptive Parents

In this episode, April begins by exploring the profound theme of naming and claiming in adoption. June also invites us to notice, name, and claim the fathers and father-figures in our lives, whether they are present, tenderly remembered, deeply complicated, or still questions. This Episode Covers: The Texture of a Namesake Month: How birth names hold an entire universe of history, mystery, and ori...

 "I simply would not exist without one, and I can't imagine existing without the other." In this episode of Calendar Conversations, host April Dinwoodie leans into the profound emotional tension of May—a month often defined by Mother's Day and National Foster Care Month. For adoptive and foster families, May isn't just about flowers and brunch; it is a complex landscape of "disenfranchised grief,"...

In rural New England, we're taught that "April showers bring May flowers"—the idea that hardship eventually leads to joy. But for adopted and foster youth, the "showers" of grief, identity confusion, and ambiguous loss don't follow a simple weather pattern. In this episode, April Dinwoodie explores why adopted children are often labeled as "dramatic" or "attention-seeking" when they are actually n...

March is filled with symbols of luck—four-leaf clovers, leprechauns, and pots of gold. But for many adopted people, the idea of being "lucky" can feel far more complicated. In this episode of Calendar Conversations with June in April, April Dinwoodie explores the powerful narratives that often surround adoption—especially the message that adopted children should feel "lucky." While often well-inte...

February holds Valentine's Day and Black History Month — tenderness and truth, celebration and resistance. In this powerful February episode of Calendar Conversations with June in April, April Dinwoodie explores the gap between loving and protecting transracially adopted children. As a Black woman raised in a white adoptive family, April reflects on growing up deeply loved — and yet not always pro...

Belonging is a fundamental human need, yet for adopted persons, it is often a persistent challenge. While not everyone can fully grasp the lived experience of navigating adoption, separation, and dual belonging, everyone understands the rhythm of the calendar. In this episode, April Dinwoodie (June in April) introduces the calendar as a universal, practical parenting tool for planning and ongoing...

In this episode of Calendar Conversations – A Guide for Adoptive Parents, host April Dinwoodie explores how adoptive families can rethink holiday traditions with intention and openness. Rather than following rituals simply because "we've always done it that way," April invites listeners to consider which traditions truly foster connection, honor a child's full identity, and create a sense of belon...

In this November episode of Calendar Conversations: A Guide for Adoptive Parents, host April Dinwoodie invites listeners to reflect on what it means to set the holiday table with intention in complex times. Thanksgiving is often framed as a celebration of gratitude and togetherness—but for many, including adoptive and transracial families, it also stirs deeper emotions and difficult truths. April...

This October, host April Dinwoodie explores the masks we wear — the ones we put on to belong, to stay safe, or to make others comfortable — and what happens when we start to take them off. Through the lens of adoption and identity, April reflects on how masking often begins as a form of protection and survival, especially for adopted persons navigating complex narratives about family and belonging...

In this September episode of  Calendar Conversations: A Guide for Adoptive Parents , April Dinwoodie reflects on what's surfacing for children a few weeks into the school year—feelings of belonging, othering, and the silent weight many carry. April shares why parents must do their own work around belonging, avoid the pitfall of assuming silence means "everything's fine," and lean into the messy mi...

In this August episode of Calendar Conversations: A Guide for Adoptive Parents, April Dinwoodie reflects on the realities of back-to-school season today versus her own childhood. While her school days were filled with questions of identity and belonging as a transracially adopted person, she never had to face active shooter drills or the fears that weigh on students now. Against the backdrop of po...

In this July episode, host April Dinwoodie explores what freedom really means in adoption - personally, politically, and emotionally. Through four powerful lessons, she unpacks the complexitites of identity access, parental responsibility, grief, and the impact of systemic injustice. As July's national celebrations unfold, this episode challenges listeners to think beyond fireworks and flags - and...

In this heartfelt June episode of Calendar Conversations, host April Dinwoodie continues her two-part series exploring expansive definitions of family. With Father's Day as our guidepost, we honor the many forms of fathering that show up in the lives of adopted persons — from fathers of origin and adoptive dads to mentors, uncles, grandfathers, and beyond. April shares personal reflections on the...

This May, we are beginning a special two-part series: Celebrating the Many Hands and Hearts That Hold Us - an exploration of what it means to honor family expansively, through the lens of adoption. In this first part of the series, we focus on Mothers' Day -  the emotions it carries, the opportunities it presents, and how adoptive parents can hold space for the many hands and hearts that are part...

In this episode, host April Dinwoodie unpacks the power of names—those given at birth, changed by adoption, or chosen later in life—and the deep emotional weight they carry. For adopted people, names are often tied to complex layers of identity, loss, and belonging. April shares a personal story that illuminates these truths and invites adoptive parents to reflect on what their child's name might...

March is often associated with luck. For many adopted persons, we hear this word a lot, You are so lucky to be adopted." But is adoption really about luck? Or is it about something much deeper - an experience shaped by love loss gain, and grief all at once? Join host, April Dinwoodie to uncover how luck plays a role in adoption.

In this February episode, host April Dinwoodie invites parents of adopted children to acknowledge the reality of loss and its impact on identity. April also allows listeners to reflect together to find a quiet yet powerful place to create space for healing the deep complexities of adoption.

In this first episode of 2025 host April Dinwoodie invites adoptive families to explore the power of the calendar in creating connection, healing, and belonging. January's theme, "Honoring Family Connections," challenges families to redefine traditions and mark time in a way that reflects their unique journey.

The December holidays give us an opportunity to think about traditions, tied to different cultures and religions. Regardless of what you and your family honor and celebrate, we can be inspired to take a closer look at what traditions mean to us, and how we can expand our thinking and actions. Join host, April Dinwoodie as she discusses ever evolving traditions and of course reflections on this yea...

November brings us one of the more complicated historical holidays (Thanksgiving) and for many in the US, one of the more family and food-centric. This month also brings National Adoption Awareness Month (NAAM) which can be challenging for some adopted persons. Join host, April Dinwoodie as she arranges the perfect table of questions for parents and professionals to ask themselves before setting t...

Whether you participate in Halloween or not, October 31st has many children and youth dressing up in costumes and wearing masks. But for adopted persons, mask wearing may be a year long or lifelong endeavor. Join host, April Dinwoodie as she unveils what is behind the mask that most adoptive parents and professionals don't see.

As we make our way through the calendar, September is a great time to think about how adoptive families navigate the world and some of the challenges they may face when we show up in the world. Have a listen so that you can have more clarity and confidence as you show up in the world as adoptive parents. 

Back to school is a time of transition for children and families. It's a time to be thoughtful about what children need when they go into schools everyday. In this episode, April helps prepare children and families for having those intentional conversations about differences of race and ethnicity as well as family structure and culture.

July gives us much to reckon with as we look back at our country's history and ask ourselves, who is really free? This July episode explores exactly this while also discussing the importance of access to information for adopted persons. 

In this June episode, host April Dinwoodie explores the many deep layers surrounding the celebration of fathers and father figures and the realities of adoption. Get ready to reflect on your personal relationships and connections as a gateway to better supporting the child/children entrusted to you.