essential oils adoption foster care

A Week of Essential Oil Hacks

Maintaining a positive mood and attitude can be very challenging when the demands of our kids seem never-ending. They feel like black holes of need sometimes. Our brain is actually wired to shut down if it’s too stressed in a particular relationship. When it comes to managing your mood, essential oils can help restore your […]

What Every Family Needs

Actually, I should say, “Who.” Meet Andrea. She regularly kicks her friends (who are foster parents) out, tells them they can’t home any earlier than 10 PM, and asks for nothing in return. She notices needs like a worn out pack ‘n play and has the Amazon fairy deliver a new one. She gifts bags […]

post adoption support

How to find post adoption support

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 […]

Who are children from “hard places?”

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 […]

The 4-Letter Word That’s Making You a Grumpy Parent

What is hard about parenting a child who doesn’t meet an expectation? Have you ever heard yourself saying these phrases as a parent? “But he SHOULD be able to do that.” “He SHOULD remember after 500 reminders.” Or “I SHOULDN’T have to do that for him.” “I SHOULDN’T have to live that way.” Me. Me. […]

podcast stories conversations

Podcast | #26 Blythe Royaards with Lost Sparrows

My guest this week is Blythe Royaards. She and her husband, Eric, are on the board for an organization called the Lost Sparrows whose goal is to stop the flow of orphans into institutions in Bulgaria through education and support of birth families and the recruitment of foster families. She’s a super mom who is […]

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The problem with using essential oils for challenging kids

When I first heard of using essential oils for mood and emotions management for kids from hard places, I set out to try as many oils on my kids as possible. I was looking for that magic fix. Quite frankly, I didn’t care if they were on board. When you’re desperate, you’ll beg, negotiate, plead, and […]

podcast stories conversations

Podcast | #24 Lisa Qualls, One Thankful Mom, a Birth Mom, and an Adoptive Mom

Lisa Qualls is the founder of the One Thankful Mom blog. She is a writer and speaker with the unusual chance to have experienced all 3 parts of the adoption triad–birth mom, adoptive mom, and foster child. We’ve connected over so many similarities over the years but she’s far more gracious, wise, and compassionate than me. […]