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

Problematic Sexual Behavior

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Do you worry about what is normal in your child’s sexual development? Join us to talk with Roy Van Tassell, a Licensed Professional Counselor in Oklahoma and Director of Trauma and Evidence-based Interventions for Centene Health. He co-chairs the National Child Traumatic Stress Networks’ subcommittee on children with problem sexual behaviors.Warning: We will be using anatomically correct words and talking about sex, so if this offends you or triggers you, you may want to skip this podcast.In this episode, we discuss:Typical Sexual Development / PlayWhat is typical sexual development in children as they age?What type of sexual play is considered “normal?”How should parents manage a child’s natural sexual development?Problematic Sexual BehaviorWhat are Problem Sexual Behaviors in Children?What causes kids and youth to act in socially unacceptable or destructive sexual ways? What factors influence the development of these behaviors?Child vulnerabilitiesBehavior problemsEmotional difficultiesDevelopmental delaysLow impulse controlFamily vulnerabilitiesPoor supervisionSingle caregiverModeling of coercionHarsh parenting practicesPhysical abuseDomestic violenceModeling of sexualitySexual abuseModeling/exposureNudity or poor family boundariesHow common are problematic sexual behaviors?Suggestions for professionals and parents and how to respond to behaviors.What should parents and caregivers do?Rules for younger kidsHow effective is therapy?How to find a therapist?What training have they had in this area?Child development expertise (including sexual development)ResourcesTaking Action booklets (two booklets) – for children with problematic sexual behaviors (age 12 and younger) and one for 13+Resources at the National Center on Sexual Behavior of Youth – really good resources for caregivers and parents.National Center for Exploited Children—for kids to understand safety—teaching them safety skills to protect their own bodyAmaze.org—videos for childrenNational Child Traumatic Stress NetworkA.J.’s Story— A Book About Not OK TouchesSupport 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

I'm a Single Mom. How Do I Find Good Male Role Models for My Kids? - Weekend Wisdom

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Question: As a single mom, how do I find good role models for my kids?Resources:Finding Male Role Models for Kids of Single MomsCreating a Support Network as a Single Adoptive Foster or Kinship Parent1 Yes, 4 S's: How a Post-Adoption Support Group Changed My LifeSupport 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

Raising a Child with FASD to Thrive

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Are you raising a child with known prenatal exposure to alcohol? Does your child have a diagnosis for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder? Listen to this conversation with Barb Clark, Founder and CEO of FASD Mosaic. She offers coaching, training, and consulting on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), trauma, neurodivergence, and challenging behaviors, and is the author of Raising Kids and Teens with FASD: Advice and Strategies to Help Your Family to Thrive!In this episode, we discuss:In your experience, what do caregivers most misunderstand about FASD at first?”How does prenatal alcohol exposure impact brain development?What is the difference between FAS and FASD?Do the timing, frequency, and amount of alcohol all matter in the outcomes experienced by the child? Are there other factors at play?Why is FASD still so often missed or misunderstood?Primary neurological impacts on a child who has FASDSecondary behaviors – which, when viewed through that brain-based lens, are adaptive responses that help them process and cope with their environmentWhat are a few practical strategies parents and caregivers can implement to help them reframe how they support their child with FASD?Tantrums or raging as an example of challenging behaviors – how it may look differently across these ages and developmental levelsWhat are a few of the typical strengths seen in individuals with FASD?Why do these strengths often emerge inconsistently?How our home environment and culture set a child with FASD up for successCan you offer practical suggestions for how parents or caregivers would implement a strengths-based approach to raising a child with FASD?Practical strategies that parents and caregivers can implement right away when raising their child with FASDHow do you recommend a parent or caregiver handle the process of repair and reconnection with a child with FASD? What should parents and caregivers consider in planning for the future?Prioritizing self-care and reframing it as interdependence and community care.Resources:Prenatal Substance Exposure Workshops for ParentsPrenatal Substance Exposure resource pageFASD MosaicSupport 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

Answering My Child's Questions When I Have No Information to Share - Weekend Wisdom

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.This is a second question from a listener named Tabitha who adopted a baby boy last year. Tho the adoption looked like it might be at least semi-open, it's effectively closed for now because the baby's birth mom is no longer communicating even with the agency. Question: All our training spoke to the benefits of open adoption. We also know (our baby) has two older siblings living with grandparents. There is also a toddler-aged sibling who was adopted. Like us, first mom is in her early 40s, so she’s got life experience. How do we handle questions that arise when baby G is older, with so little info? We seem to be a rarity in this day and age, with a closed adoption not of our choosing. I definitely respect mom’s choices, but I know questions will pop up on our little one’s end down the road.Resources:Strategies for Maintaining Sibling ConnectionsHelping Siblings Separated by Adoption or Foster Care - Weekend WisdomHandling Social Media & Birth Family Contact with Your Adopted, Foster, or Kinship KidsSupport 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

Understanding Attachment Between Parent and Child

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Is the idea of attachment parenting new to you and your family? Or could you use a refresher on what secure attachment is and why it matters? Listen to this conversation with Samantha Farris, LMSW, from the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development. She's helping us understand the basics of building secure attachment between parent and child to strengthen our families.In this episode, we talk about:How would you describe attachment in the simplest, most hopeful way for a caregiver who’s new to the idea of parent/child attachment? Or who may feel overwhelmed by what they’ve heard and are unsure where to start or start over?Can you walk us through an overview of the attachment cycle and how it typically develops in infancy and early childhood?What are some everyday signs caregivers would see that indicate a secure attachment is developing? (even if it’s not “perfect”)Why does attachment matter so much — not just in childhood, but across a person’s lifespan?What happens in the brain or nervous system when a child feels securely connected versus chronically disconnected?How does adding the practice of being “trauma-informed” change a parent or caregiver’s approach to forging that connection with their adopted or foster child?What are the types of experiences or stressors that kids in our (adoptive, foster, relative caregiving) community may interrupt the natural flow of attachment development?What are the different attachment profiles or styles, in addition to secure attachment?What are three common signs that a child might be struggling with attachment?How might attachment challenges show up differently in toddlers vs school-age children vs. teens?When a child comes with a history of instability, what helps establish a sense of safety and a foundation of trust? What are three things newly adoptive or foster parents can do to nurture attachment in the early days of meeting or welcoming a child home?When a child needs professional help for attachment challenges, what kinds of therapy or supports have you seen be most healing?If a parent feels disconnected, what are two things they can do starting today to begin building attachment?What is one piece of advice you’d give to a brand-new parent or caregiver who has never had to think intentionally about forming attachment before listening to this?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