Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption, Foster & Kinship Care

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: We are adopting an 8-year-old little girl from the country of Georgia. I would love some concrete tips on how our family (four bio kids) can best communicate with her and foster attachment despite the language barrier. Are there any tools you can recommend or strategies to help non-English speaking adoptees feel more comfortable in their new environment? Re...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! We talk to our kids all day, but how can we use these conversations to help them reach their full potential? Our guest is Rebecca Roland, a speech pathologist, Harvard lecturer, and author of the book The Art of Talking with Children . In this episode, we discuss: What is rich talk, and why is it important? You talk about different types of conversations. What are so...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: Last week my husband and I flew across the country to meet our potential adoptive baby. We had been matched 5 weeks earlier and were full of happiness. We’ve always known the risks of having a fall through but based on the case, we didn’t think it would be the case. It was.  Despite being in contact with birthmom via email and text, getting her updates and...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! What are the microaggressions or stigmas in the world of adoption and how do they impact adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents?  We talk 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...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question:  Is it possible to adopt a child from another state, provided that all parental rights were terminated on both mother and father’s sides?  What extra complications or legalities do families adopting out of state face? Resources: Adopting a Child Out of State (Parent Training Education Course) Foster Care Adoption Domestic Infant Adoption Working with an Ado...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! How can you create an adoptive parent profile to help you stand out and show what makes you unique? To find out, join our guests Erin Quick, the Founder and CEO of PairTree and an adoptive mom, and Jess Nelson, the profile creation provider at Pairtree and a two-time birth mom. In this episode, we cover: What are Adoptive Parent Profiles? What other names might they...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question:  How are pre-adoptive matches made in foster care? I’ve heard that families may even need to network with social workers to be noticed when possible matches come up, but I’m not sure how matches are made. Resources: Working as Part of a Foster Care Team Foster Care Adoption Practical Tips for Fostering a Sibling Group This podcast is produced by www. Creati...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Join us for a wonderful discussion with author and performer Susan Kiyo Ito about her new memoir, I Would Meet You Anywhere . This is a book adoptive parents should read! In this episode, we cover: It felt like much of the tension between you and your birth mother was due to her desire to keep you a secret and your desire to be seen. And also her desire to be in cont...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: We are in the process of deciding whether to adopt, we have decided to give up on fertility treatment. As I listened to your podcast, I thought it would be good to ask you what you wish you had known before you had adopted? Resources: Creating and Cultivating Attachment Helping a Child Heal from Trauma Post-Adoption Depression This podcast is produced by ww...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Could you qualify for the Adoption Tax Credit? Find out by listening to this podcast with 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 Families Rising (formerly the NACAC). In this episode, we cover: What is the Adoption Tax Credit for adoption being cl...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question:   What questions should a pre-adoptive family ask about a possible match when adopting from foster care to determine whether the match would be a good fit for the family? Resources: Adopting from Foster Care Foster Care Resource Guide for Parents Creating a Family Facebook Support Group This podcast is produced by www. CreatingaFamily.org . We are a nationa...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Are you considering adopting this year? Don't miss this podcast on how to adopt in 2024. Our guests are Teresa Bernu, the Associate Director at the Adoption Center of Illinois, and Steve Valdez, the Chief Operating Officer at Hand in Hand International Adoptions. Teresa Bernu has over 13 years of experience in the child welfare field, dealing with a wide range o...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Adoption: Cost of Adoption: How Much? How Long? Adoption Comparison Charts We surveyed our Facebook community, and we discuss how our members paid for their adoptions. How to Save for Adoption the Dave Ramsey Way This podcast is produced by www. CreatingaFamily.org . We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinshi...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Have you thought about adopting or fostering as a single parent? Join us to listen to a panel of single adoptive parents share the joys and challenges of this option. In this episode, we cover: What were your biggest worries when you were thinking about fostering or adopting as a single person? Adopting or fostering a child of a different gender—what are some things...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: I want to foster children, but my husband is against it. Our kids are 5 and 3 years old, and I really want to keep on having kids through fostering. I think I’m a good mom, and I think I’d do great at fostering. My husband thinks we have our hands full with 2 kids. He thinks adding other kids with possible behavioral problems will sink us. Resources: Welcom...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! How can we raise joyful resilient kids? We talk with Dr. Mona Delahooke, a clinical child psychologist and the author of Brain-Body Parenting: How to Stop Managing Behavior and Start Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids . In this episode, we cover: “Too often we are focused on the child’s behavior instead of the child. We are concerned about solving problems rather than cu...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Parenting kids exposed to trauma is hard. Sometimes, it is very hard, but these families can thrive. In an interview with Creating a Family, Dr. Ross Greene, a Harvard Psychology professor, stressed that it was crucial for parents of children exposed to trauma to realize that kids want to do well, and if they are struggling, it is likely because they are lacking a sp...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Join us to learn about family rituals—how to create and why you should. Our guest will be Elizabeth Barbour is the author of a new book “Sacred Celebrations: Designing Rituals to Navigate Life’s Milestone Transitions”. She’s also a reunited adoptee and an adoptive mom. In this episode, we cover: Why are rituals important for families? Define the culture of family-thi...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: How do you know when it is time to stop infertility treatments and move on to another option, including adoption? Resources: Parenting After Infertility Adoption Options Adoption Comparison Charts This podcast is produced by www. CreatingaFamily.org . We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship pare...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Do you dread the teen years? Or, if you're in the midst of parenting teens, do you struggle to find ways to connect? This week, we interview Dr. Melody Aguayo, a parenting coach specializing in working with at-risk children and their families and the founder of Real Child Consulting, LLC. She is the mom of two adopted kids. In this episode, we cover: Parents won...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Additional Resources: Virtual Twins Through Adoption: An Adoptee's Perspective Adopting More Than One Child Adopting Out of Birth Order and Artificial Twinning 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...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Have you ever considered adopting a child from foster care? Check out our interview with Erica Jourdan, the Founder of Adoption Options Consulting, where she provides support to families looking to adopt older children from foster care. She is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate (LCSWA) at Flourish Counseling and Wellness. And Angelica Jones, a Licensed...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: My nephew came to live with us last March. He’s a great kid who deserves better than he had, but his pickiness with food is driving me crazy. He eats only white carbs. Even his mac and cheese has to have white cheese on it. Resources: Food Issues with Adopted, Foster, and Kinship Kids Picky Eating and Other Food Issues Practical Ideas to Help Your Child Ove...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Join us for a discussion of how adoption looks and feels from all sides of the adoption triad. Our guests will be the authors Sara Easterly, Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Lori Holden of their new book, Adoption Unfiltered . In this episode, we cover: Adoptee Perspective : 23 adoptees contributed to this section of the book.  What are some of the issues adoptees ma...

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Q: I adopted my son four months ago. It took me almost 3 years, and I am supposed to be living my dream. Instead, I feel frustrated, sad, and sometimes even angry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s not like my hormones are all messed up from giving birth. Resources: Post Adoption Depression Creating a Family Online Facebook Support Group for Adoptive, Foster, &...