There has been discussion over on the Christian Adoption Blog about how much involvement a child should have in making restitution. The debate, I think, stems from whether or not you feel the child has control over the issue or not.

If a child vomits, as was the scenario one reader chose, generally speaking one would assume that is involuntary and thus a parent would operate under their usual modis operandus. If it is deliberate, to my way of thinking, the child must be involved in making restitution since... more

This book is over five hundred pages long, so I haven’t read all of it yet; but the book that I find myself consulting over and over again is the book Trauma Through A Child’s Eyes by Peter A. Levine and Maggie Kline.

The book is extremely thorough and clinical, yet highly readable and accessible. The book walks the reader through infancy through adolescence and is specific to issues of trauma.

There are four sections: Understanding Trauma (covering what trauma is, physiological response, signs of trauma, and types of trauma); General Guide For... more

If you have been following my pee saga closely, you will have heard the various positions parents in the trenches have taken on this issue. Now let’s hear from those who have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

As I mentioned over on the Adoptive Parenting blog earlier this week, I’ve found an online support group for sufferers of PTSD. They have graciously allowed me to be a part of their group,... more

Thanks to all who have chimed in on the pee issue. But, I do feel I need to clarify a few points:

• There are 2 types of peeing going on – voluntary and involuntary. The involuntary we are ignoring (nighttime while sleeping, true accidents, etc.). It is the voluntary we are addressing. How do I know the difference? My daughter will sit in front of the TV or while playing and finishes up, rather than go to the restroom, and is able to articulate that... more

Younger foster children that have been in a care giver role can be a little more difficult to work with. Since it has to do with their fears, need for consistency, and not fully understanding things. For most young ones in time with repeated routine they learn to accept you the foster parents as the care giver and learn to rely on you for that. This is something that will not happen overnight and will take time.

Remember, they need to learn that you will not hurt them and that they can trust you. They may not be able to do these things one hundred percent due... more

It can be quite the balance to come up with an acceptable compromise so that the foster child has some mothering type, or care giver type of responsibility. Granted not every foster child will have this problem or they will accept you as the parental role. I personally have dealt with this with older children and younger as well, so I will share how I handle both.

With my 10 year old foster daughter she was very mothering along with all the chores that come... more

There are two heartwarming stories in the news right now, and it’s nice to see foster parents be recognized.

In the first story out of Warwick, Rhode Island, a couple “won” the opportunity to have their house re-done on the T.V. show “Extreme Makeover Home Edition.” Personally, I have always wished they would come to my house, but it’s nice to see foster parents get this great reward.

The... more

Having a toddler at home is so amazing. There is never a boring day, as new discoveries become the norm for each day. My adopted daughter, who just turned 19 months, is utterly fascinated with her belly button. Yesterday, she played with her belly button for at least ten minutes as she sat on her potty chair. She would squeeze it between her fingers, make it into a donut shape, and then bend forward trying to look inside the hole. Then she would laugh hysterically, slap her hands on the cheeks of her face, throw her arms in the air, jump up, and hug me. Then she would sit down... more

I realize as the weekend creeps in, that this time last Friday I was feeling the same level of exhausting, frustration and gratitude that it’s the weekend. It’s been an incredible week.

1. Last Friday, our attorney emailed me a mound of paperwork from the school district of things they want me to respond to over the next few days, making more work for an already pretty busy mom. I’m highly frustrated that I have to take the time to respond. 2. On Monday, I discovered that Kay, despite doing an excellent job last semester of self-policing and keeping... more

LuLu’s history curriculum through Georgia Virtual Academy never ceases to amaze me. It is rather detailed and heavy stuff! We work on it together, reading the textbook and doing the online enrichment work.

Today’s lesson was a continuation on people immigrating to America in the late 1800s. Today’s lesson centered on how some were against immigration and the prejudice and racism that sprang up during that time period. There was information on the Ku Klux Klan, the increase of crime in the cities, and cultural neighborhoods that formed in New York and other major... more