Sometimes Love Isn't Enough: The Parenting Through Challenges Podcast

When we're experiencing a challenge, a crisis, or a trauma - it's natural to feel like a victim. In fact, we're designed with defense mechanisms in our brain to create a fear response and help us avoid similar awful situations in the future. I know as a parent dealing with unsettling, overwhelming, scary behaviors in my home - I certainly felt like a victim. I couldn't see my situation from any ot...

How often do you make decisions, and worry how others will respond? Or how often do you make decisions that are true to what you want (and not what you've been conditioned to think is best)? In this episode, we are diving in to 1) conditioning, 2) your authentic self, and 3) how to help our kids do the same! About your host, Angie Grandt - The Adoption Coach Angie Grandt is the Adoption Coach. She...

When you look back on your childhood - were you a "good" child or a "bad" child?  How do you know?  Was this a fact, or a story? In this episode, we'll discuss the truth about "good" and "bad" kids, and what we can do to help our kids be who they are truly meant to be.  About your host, Angie Grandt - The Adoption Coach Angie Grandt is the Adoption Coach. She is also a Quantum Human Design TM Spec...

We all know the obvious needs our children have - hunger, comfort,  sleep, health - which when left unmet create all kids of behaviors. But what about the "less obvious" needs? Listen to this episode for 3 key unmet needs to look for when our kids are misbehaving, and some tips to help you meet those needs! About your host, Angie Grandt - The Adoption Coach Angie Grandt is the Adoption Coach. She...

Often when we're learning new tools - we feel so pumped up to change the way we approach our child's behaviors… but then in the moment, we go right back to our habitual way of reacting.  In this episode, we'll discuss how to actually shift your responding in the moment! About your host, Angie Grandt - The Adoption Coach Angie Grandt is the Adoption Coach. She is also a Quantum Human Design TM Spec...

When our kids are struggling - we are often struggling. We look outside our home and see other parents having fun, enjoying their kids. We see other parents raising kids who aren't defiant, disrespectful, destructive, or disconnected.   When we're struggling like this, we often only see 2 possible causes - 1) either our kids are "bad kids," or 2) we are "bad parents" - there really can't be any ot...

When a child experiences early trauma, various changes can happen to the brain. As parents, we see the effects - in behaviors, learning difficulties, developmental delays. Let's discuss key changes to the brain common in children who've experienced trauma.  About your host, Angie Grandt - The Adoption Coach Angie Grandt is the Adoption Coach. She is also an early intervention speech therapist with...

Have you ever wondered why you connect with some people better than others? This can be especially true with our kids - and can cause us parents so much distress, as we interpret this as "liking" one of our kids better than the others. Or have you ever wondered why things can be going so well with one person (or child) and then a 3rd or 4th person joins the mix - and everything seems to be thrown...

When I meet parents who are stressed, overwhelmed, or even at the end of their rope, I often hear a common theme: "I'll be happy when my child stops (you can fill in the blank here)," or "I'll stop feeling frustrated when my child does (fill in the blank)."   This is a common human reaction. We all do it to some degree - it's our default way of thinking. My coach calls it DO-HAVE-BE: for instance...

When facing a new challenge, where do you turn first for answers?   In the past couple of decades, many of us would say the experts (or Google, lol!). We feel frustrated, overwhelmed, uncertain - and we turn to the experts. Don't get me wrong - there is value in knowledge, expertise, and specialized skills. However - you are the expert in your child. You are the expert in their needs, their wants,...

The parents I serve, the parents I connect with, the parent I was... would all say something along this line: "I am giving all of my time, my attention, my energy, my (you can probably add more here!) to my one child - they are exhausting me!" But is giving your time, your attention, your energy, etc. the same as connecting with your child? Our kids need connection - and especially our kids who've...

At a recent in-person workshop I held for adoptive parents, we discussed how perceptive and intuitive our kids can be! When our face shows frustration, overwhelm, or unhappiness. Some of us even hear "why are you mad mom?"  Let's chat about some strategies to actually have your face match your goal - the goal to create a peaceful, happy home where you are intentionally creating positive memories!...

As Mother's Day approaches, how are you feeling? For so many of us, it can come with more disappointment than joy, more frustration than fun, more sadness than flowers.   When raising children with intense emotions or behaviors, we may be in a position to just hope that nobody gets hurt, there aren't too many tears, or that we can survive the day.   And for those of us raising children from disrup...

So often I hear parents describe their adoption experience, and share that their early adoption means that attachment difficulties are unlikely. I'm here to challenge that, to help you see things differently for the sake of your child.    About your host, Angie Grandt - The Adoption Coach Angie Grandt is the Adoption Coach. She is also an early intervention speech therapist with extensive training...

You're in the thick of it - daily, overwhelming behaviors. You spend your "free" time worrying about when the next blow-up, aggression, destruction, self-mutilation, or worse will happen. You see family vacations, nice dinners with family or friends, or even a trip to the zoo as impossible - something that only the lucky parents get to enjoy. What if I told you that creating a vision, and not nece...

If I'm so (fill in the blank - smart, experienced, resourceful, patient, etc.), why can't I connect with my child? We can feel so accomplished in so many areas of life… yet when it comes to our most challenging relationship, we can feel like such a failure. Let's discuss why, and WHAT to do about it! About your host, Angie Grandt - The Adoption Coach Angie Grandt is the Adoption Coach. She is also...

When we are facing constant behaviors - we tend to become quick to react. We might react with consequences, with "teaching," with reminders of "the rules." But what if our children's behaviors are driven by their tricky past, coming from a place of trauma? Would you respond the same as you are now?  If you child was crying, saying "I'm sad and scared," would respond with reminding them to "not cry...

As my daughter was growing up, I felt pretty confident in my skills. I didn't second-guess myself that often, and I trusted my inner authority to do what was best for her. I would've referred to myself as a good mom. Once my son joined the picture - this all changed. I stopped seeing myself as a good mom, and instead felt like such a failure. I was trying everything I could imagine to try to help...

I know some don't want to hear this… but adoption is a traumatic event. If we as adoptive parents pretend like it's a beautiful gift that we give or child - we are fooling ourselves, and creating an environment that may give our kids the impression that they should not grieve, they should be grateful or happy. The truth is, adoption is a huge loss for our kids.  In this powerful episode, let's scr...

Our stories are such a powerful way to help others. I created this podcast to help you to not only shift your most important relationships, but also to help you see that you are not alone! Join me on this journey as I discuss how I went from feeling like a confident, successful parent to feeling like a failure of a mom, not able to connect and perhaps making things so much worse for my son and our...