National Public Radio (NPR) did two segments on the importance of play recently. And I think they bear watching. In Old Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills, it is pointed out that back before the mid-1950s play was not so much associated with toys as it was with unstructured free time. But the advent of television advertising and marketing to children has changed that.

Combine that with the push by parents to have children involved in organized activities and the lack of recess during... more

I started back to counseling yesterday. The recent events with Sammy have triggered some major PTSD issues with me, and I need to deal with them in order to be a good mom or wife, much less friend or person.

One of the questions she asked me was “What do you do for fun?” I rattled off a list of things that I’m involved in expecting that to answer her question. She then asked me another question “What do you do outside of your house or church?”

I had to think about that for a while and... more

The Pee-Pee Saga continues. We’ve shown love and mercy, and overlooked it. We’ve tied consequences directly to the action and had her do her own laundry. We’ve taken away privileges. Today, I took away all her “fancy clothes” because she soils them. Still, no matter the outcome, pleasant or not, it’s the same result – she pees.

We’re not being inconsistent; we’re just trying to find an equitable solution. I have asthma and the urine smell triggers me.

She admits this is done purposely.... more

The last time that LuLu went to speech therapy provided by the public school she was in kindergarten. (When I said that to this speech therapist today, she was truly blown away, and just kept asking “why did they stop?”) Now here we are six years later, and today we went for her first speech therapy session through the virtual academy. Even though she’s been enrolled since November, it has taken the school awhile locate and contract with private providers.

Now a gun-shy mom like myself, who has been extremely burned by public schools could have gotten a bit nervous... more

Put on your advocacy hats and start contacting your congressmen to show your support for the bipartisan Adoption Equality Act, (S. 1462/HR 4901), which will ensure that foster children with special needs will not be denied SSI Title IV-E support based on their birth family’s income.

NACAC (the North American Council of Adoptable Children) is spearheading an advocacy effort to get other adoption and foster care organizations to partner with them in showing support for this legislation. If you are a member of an adoption or foster group, visit... more

Many years ago, a young woman called me for information about foster care. She told me that she did not intend to adopt because she already had three young children. However, she realized that there was a need for foster homes and she wanted to help. As I listened, she explained that she really only wanted to foster infants and toddlers. I asked her if she really thought that she could provide a home to a young child for 12 to 18 months and then walk away. I also explained that our agency had many homes on a waiting list who wanted an infant or a toddler to adopt. Our agency really... more

I’ve cleaned house all day today thinking about Julia’s post on so much pee. It’s a fairly unique planet that we live on where this type behavior exists, but it’s common across the board when one adopts traumatized children. I’m sure it’s a problem in foster care also as each foster mom I’d met in the adoption of all my children would share her experiences with this issue.

Not all of my children are or were bedwetters but enough of them have been challenged in this area that... more

Hannah coming home from school with a sad look on her fact yesterday was one of the most beautiful things I have seen. Let me explain.

Hannah came in with a bill for a book that she had wrecked. She somehow got the milk from her lunch all over the book. The book is totally destroyed and we have a bill for $17.20 to replace the book.

When Hannah walked in, her head was hung low and she had very sad eyes. She knew was “in trouble” and that there would be consequences for her actions. She also knew that she would be the one paying for the damaged... more

If you are considering open adoption and are being vocal with this consideration or doing any research, you may see (if you are reading online) and hear from others various myths about open adoption. One of those common myths is that open adoption is comparable to co-parenting. I’ve even heard some people go as far as to say that open adoption is a glorified form of baby sitting or that open adoption is “having your cake and eating it too.”

First of all, let’s look at the definition for co=parenting. Co-parenting is defined as:

An arrangement in which... more

Thursday again? Like any parent, I have hopes and dreams for my daughter. The only difference is that I am not parenting her and someone else is in physical charge of nurturing her through to adulthood. I was once told by a disgruntled, anti-birth parent reader that my dreams for my child were out of place as I was not her parent. That's preposterous!

For example, I have dreams for my younger brother. I want him to be happy in his marriage, successful in whatever career path he finally chooses and to find a vehicle... more