“Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning.” -Diane Ackerman For children with attachment disorders, hugs and affection may cause acting out. Play can be a non-threatening way to build connection and teach trust. Try doing one of these activities at the same time every day so it becomes part of your routine. Give your child some […]
There are three words that, when uttered together, make dreams come true for millions of women. For millions more, those same words can shatter their dreams. “You are pregnant.” Almost half of all pregnancies in the United States — some 3.1 million each year —are unintended. Among unmarried women in their 20s, seven out […]
You’ve survived until the end of the day, and you just want your kid to GO. TO. BED. Dealing with a child who has trouble sleeping can make a mean mommy out of even the most patient saints. I find that a lot of kids have trouble at bedtime due to some underlying anxiety. Usually, […]
Adoptive and foster families often find themselves barely functioning and just trying to survive when caring for children with hard behaviors. I just finished hanging out in Nehemiah (as in the book of the Bible) with the She Reads Truth community. Nehemiah was the guy who rebuilt the temple after it was destroyed by the […]
A lot of adoptive moms tell me that they’d do anything for their kids, but they don’t know where to start or what to do. They are tirelessly seeking out post adoption support and resources and coming up empty handed. Unfortunately, there is a HUGE gap in post adoption support. We’ve felt it personally. I’m […]
I often talk about children from “hard places” when I talk about the whys for using connected parenting. I figured it might be helpful to tell you exactly what the “hard places” are. Who knows? You may be parenting a child from a “hard place” and not be aware. It might help you understand a lot more […]
Kids from “hard places” are children who experienced early trauma such as abuse, neglect, medical intervention, prenatal exposure to substances, or even changes in primary caregiver. These children often have significant changes to insulin receptor sites which makes them more sensitive to changes in blood sugar levels [1]. This also goes for kids with ADHD. […]
It all started with Patrick wanting to take up hunting. The bow-hunting season is much longer than firearm season, so, of course, he needed a bow. But then, accuracy and consistency were elusive. That led to archery lessons which led to a new family hobby. Who knew that target shooting could be so cathartic? The […]