Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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 www.CreatingaFamily.org . We are a national non-profit with the mi...
Jan 21, 2024•8 min•Season 18Ep. 6
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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 claimed on 2023 federal taxes? What is a “credit” and how does it ...
Jan 17, 2024•54 min•Season 18Ep. 5
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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 national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, f...
Jan 14, 2024•8 min•Season 18Ep. 4
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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 of cases, including domestic infant adoption, foster care, and guardia...
Jan 10, 2024•54 min•Season 18Ep. 3
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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 & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Fami...
Jan 07, 2024•6 min•Season 18Ep. 2
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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 parents need to consider? Who is a part of your “village” in hel...
Jan 03, 2024•43 min•Season 18Ep. 1
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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: Welcoming a New Child into Your Home Helping Children Heal From Trauma...
Dec 31, 2023•5 min•Season 17Ep. 74
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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 cultivating the relationship.” A child’s behavior is a clue for us...
Dec 27, 2023•54 min•Season 17Ep. 73
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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 specific skill needed to succeed. Resources: Helping Children Heal...
Dec 24, 2023•6 min•Season 17Ep. 72
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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-this is who we are This is what we do What’s the difference between...
Dec 20, 2023•49 min•Season 17Ep. 71
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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 parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family bri...
Dec 17, 2023•4 min•Season 17Ep. 70
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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 wonder why their easy and natural connection with their kids changed, an...
Dec 13, 2023•54 min•Season 17Ep. 69
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-b...
Dec 10, 2023•7 min•Season 17Ep. 68
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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 Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and the Intensive Service Foster C...
Dec 06, 2023•50 min•Season 17Ep. 67
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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 Overcome Food Issues This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamil...
Dec 03, 2023•7 min•Season 17Ep. 66
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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 may face? Compliance and people-pleasing Fantasy Attachments Shame ...
Nov 29, 2023•47 min•Season 17Ep. 65
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. 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, & Kinship Parents Parenting After Infertility This podcast is...
Nov 26, 2023•9 min•Season 17Ep. 64
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Join us as we talk about various holiday-related situations that can arise with foster, adoptive, and kinship families. Our guests will be Janice Goldwater, MSW, the CEO of Paths for Families; Courtney Tierra, a birth mom, educator, and storyteller; and Christa Hefel, MPH with the State of Iowa Four Oaks Foster and Adoptive Family Connections, and foster mom and mom of 10 children through birth and adoption. In this episode, we t...
Nov 22, 2023•56 min•Season 17Ep. 63
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. The Ethics Committee of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine has stated that the correct term for donating unused embryos to another couple for family building is embryo donation rather than embryo adoption. But since many people looking for information on this option continue to call it embryo adoption, we sometimes use both terms to aid in finding our materials. Further, there are a few adoption agencies that have an e...
Nov 19, 2023•12 min•Season 17Ep. 62
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. You're really going to want to tune in to hear the story of triplets separated at birth through adoption. It is particularly interesting to hear how they have processed the experience differently and how they feel about adoption. In this episode, we talk about: Kathleen’s (the birth mom) experience. Why did she decide to place two of the babies for adoption? When did you find out you were triplets? What was the agreement at the t...
Nov 15, 2023•52 min•Season 17Ep. 61
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Resources: Foster Care Adoption Becoming a Foster Parent Choosing a Foster Care Agency 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 o...
Nov 12, 2023•5 min•Season 17Ep. 60
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. If you are thinking about adoption, you've likely considered the possibility that you will be adopting a child in another state. In this episode, we talk about everything involved with this process. Our guests are Jim Thompson, an adoption attorney and the author of the book South Carolina Adoption Law and Practice . He has been a Fellow of the Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys since 1993 and Joan Smith, t...
Nov 08, 2023•48 min•Season 17Ep. 59
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Resources: Adoption Comparison Charts Cost of Adoption US Department of State - Intercountry Adoption Find an agency 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 articl...
Nov 05, 2023•6 min•Season 17Ep. 58
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Do you worry that you've gotten in over your head by adopting this child. Are you about ready to give up. Or do you want to do everything possible to make sure that your adoption doesn't fall apart? Join us to talk with Dr. Eshele Williams, Director of the Creating Stability During Change Model of Practice for Resource Family Disruption Prevention and Retention. She was also a birth child in foster adoptive kinship family. Dr. Ei...
Nov 01, 2023•46 min•Season 17Ep. 57
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Q: We’ve applied to adopt an infant but haven’t received a match. What can we do? Resources: What Is An Adoptive Parent Profile (or Dear Expectant Parent Letter) and How To Make One Why is it Taking So Long to Get an Adoption Match? Understanding Expectant Moms Who Are Considering Adoption This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org . We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster...
Oct 29, 2023•4 min•Season 17Ep. 56
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Does it feel like your child is sabotaging the holidays? Are there more tantrums, sullenness, and anxiety during the holiday season? We explore why and what to do about it with Rebecca Robotham, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Beehive Counseling & Wellness in Connecticut. She is also an adoptee and former foster child. In this episode, we cover: There are many sources of trauma for children, and many adopted and foster c...
Oct 25, 2023•36 min•Season 17Ep. 55
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Q: Now that our youngest is in high school, we want to become foster parents but don’t know where to begin. Resources: How to Choose an Adoption Agency (Guide) Becoming a Foster Parent (Resource page) Working as Part of a Foster Care Team (Resource page) Suggested Books for Foster Care Parents This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org . We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, fo...
Oct 22, 2023•5 min•Season 17Ep. 54
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Do you worry about being scammed in a domestic infant adoption? How can you prevent scams and recognize red flags for a failed adoption match? Join us to talk with Colleen Quinn, an adoption attorney at the Adoption & Surrogacy Law Center in Richmond, VA, with 34 years of experience in adoption law. She is the co-author of the last five editions of the VA CLE Adoption Procedures and Forms. In this episode, we discuss: Adoptio...
Oct 18, 2023•52 min•Season 17Ep. 53
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Q. We took in my cousin’s 4-year-old last month. We thought it might be temporary, but it’s looking like it will be for a long time and maybe forever. The problem is that this little boy has gone through a lot because his mom is a drug user and never really was a parent. He is very withdrawn and doesn’t seem to want to attach or let us get close in any way. Any help would be appreciated. Resources: Attachment Help (Resource) 6 Ti...
Oct 15, 2023•8 min•Season 17Ep. 52
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you hoping to adopt from foster care. Don't miss this discussion of adoption subsidies with Josh Kroll, Project Coordinator for the Adoption Subsidy Resource Center at Families Rising (formerly known as the North American Council on Adoptable Children). In this episode, we cover: What are adoption subsidies? What other names are used for “adoption subsidies”? Adoption Agreements, Adoption Assistance, AAP, monthly stipend. Is ...
Oct 11, 2023•48 min•Season 17Ep. 51
