Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption, Foster & Kinship Care
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
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| How Do You Parent Two Toddlers Close in Age Without Burning Out? - Weekend Wisdom | 07 Nov 2026 | 00:17:50 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Parenting two toddlers close in age can leave you wondering whether either child is getting enough of your time, attention, and emotional energy. That worry can feel even heavier when one child is newly placed in your home through foster care and may need extra reassurance, co-regulation, and support. In this Weekend Wisdom episode, we share practical wisdom from experienced foster, adoptive, and biological parents about letting go of perfectly equal parenting, simplifying family life during high-need seasons, building support around the whole family, and recognizing the difference between ordinary parental guilt and signs that your family may truly be stretched beyond its capacity. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Transracial Adoption: Helping Kids Build Identity, Culture, and Belonging | 04 Nov 2026 | 01:05:15 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! How can parents support transracial adoption identity and belonging while honoring all the parts of who their child is becoming? In this episode, adoptee, adoptive parent, trauma-informed educator, and developmental psychology scholar Jessie Elliott joins us to explore how race, culture, adoption, attachment, and family experiences shape a child’s developing identity. We discuss why parents should acknowledge rather than minimize differences, how to create a family where conversations about adoption and race remain safe and welcome, and why cultural connection needs to go deeper than food, holidays, and special events. Jessie also challenges parents to examine their own expectations, learn alongside their children, and focus on parenting the child in front of them rather than the child they once imagined. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Will We Lose Kinship Benefits or Medicaid If We Adopt Our Grandchild? - Weekend Wisdom | 31 Oct 2026 | 00:10:56 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! What happens to kinship benefits after adoption, and could adopting a relative child affect Medicaid, monthly kinship payments, or other financial assistance your family currently receives? In this Weekend Wisdom episode, we answer a grandparent caregiver’s question about what to investigate before moving from legal custody to adoption. Because Medicaid, kinship assistance, and adoption benefits vary by state and by each child’s circumstances, we walk through the questions caregivers should ask about their current benefits, possible adoption assistance, Medicaid eligibility, Social Security benefits, and other post-permanency supports. We also explain which agencies and professionals can help you get clear answers before an adoption is finalized. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| How Movement Helps Kids Regulate Emotions, Focus, and Learn | 28 Oct 2026 | 00:53:05 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! What is the connection between movement and regulation in children, and could the right kind of physical activity help a child focus, learn, and manage their emotions more effectively? In this episode, pediatric physical therapist, foster parent, and Tummy Time to Walking author Dr. Trevor Carlson explains how movement and brain development are connected from infancy through the school years. We explore how coordination, balance, posture, and body awareness can affect attention and learning; why some children need movement to reach a more regulated state; and why the same activity that calms one child may overwhelm another. Dr. Carlson also shares practical ways adoptive, foster, and kinship parents can observe their child’s cues, build movement into everyday life through play, and recognize when additional professional support may be helpful. Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| How Do I Teach Safety Skills to a Foster Teen Without Being Overprotective? - Weekend Wisdom | 24 Oct 2026 | 00:16:24 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! How can you build safety skills for foster teens without becoming so protective that they feel you don’t trust them? Older youth who have experienced neglect, unsafe adults, exploitation, family disruption, or other trauma may need extra help learning to recognize risk and make safe choices as they gain independence. In this Weekend Wisdom episode, we share practical ways to build relational safety, practice decision-making before a crisis, set clear expectations without making them feel controlling, talk about friendships, dating, peer pressure, and online safety, and surround teens with trusted adults they can turn to for help. The goal isn’t to prevent every mistake—it’s to help young people recognize risk, think through their choices, recover when things go wrong, and know they always have a safe place to land. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| What the Research on Adult Adoptees Can Teach Us | 21 Oct 2026 | 00:46:08 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! What can research on adult adoptees teach us about adoption across the lifespan? In this episode, adoption researcher and adult adoptee Dr. JaeRan Kim joins us to explore what adoptees’ experiences can teach families and professionals long after placement and finalization. We discuss adoption disruption and displacement from the adoptee perspective, the importance of relational and cultural permanency, how becoming a parent can reshape an adoptee’s understanding of their own adoption and loss, and what researchers are learning about adoptees who choose to adopt themselves. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Kim challenges us to listen closely to adult adoptee voices and consider how adoption, identity, race, family relationships, and support needs continue to evolve across a lifetime. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| How to Teach Kids to Use AI Responsibly - Weekend Wisdom | 17 Oct 2026 | 00:06:57 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! How can parents teach kids to use AI responsibly when their children may already know more about tools like ChatGPT than they do? In this Weekend Wisdom episode, digital safety expert Chris McKenna of Protect Young Eyes explains why knowing how to operate AI is not the same as understanding how it works. He shares practical ways parents can build AI literacy and digital discernment, protect children’s privacy, set age-appropriate boundaries, and help kids question the information and advice AI provides. We also discuss why parents do not need to embrace every new technology simply because their children may use it someday—and why younger children especially need supervision and strong guardrails when using artificial intelligence. How to turn off ChatGPT using personal data to train future models:
Resources: Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| The Impact of CASAs and GALs in Foster Care | 14 Oct 2026 | 00:31:52 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! What do a CASA and GAL in foster care actually do, and how can one consistent advocate make a difference in a child’s life? In this episode, we talk with Melissa Luddington of Illinois CASA and Michael Custos, a former foster youth whose CASA volunteer ultimately became his legal guardian. Together, they explain how Court Appointed Special Advocates and Guardians ad Litem represent children’s best interests, build trusting relationships, bring a child’s needs and wishes into the courtroom, and work alongside caregivers and professionals. Michael also shares how one volunteer’s persistence, advocacy, and willingness to keep showing up changed the course of his childhood. We also discuss what it takes to become a CASA volunteer and why consistency may be one of the most powerful things an advocate can offer. Resources: Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| How Can We Do Open Adoption from Foster Care? - Weekend Wisdom | 10 Oct 2026 | 00:17:46 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! How can families navigate open adoption from foster care while maintaining the safety and boundaries their child needs? In this Weekend Wisdom episode, we answer a listener’s question about staying connected with birth parents after adopting a young child from foster care. We discuss how openness can help children maintain connections to their history, identity, culture, and important relationships while recognizing the circumstances that led to foster care and termination of parental rights. We also explore how to set clear and respectful boundaries, choose the right level of contact, respond to a child’s changing needs as they grow, and create an openness plan that is flexible, sustainable, and centered on the child. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Keeping Kids Safe Online: Raising Tech-Ready Kids with Confidence | 07 Oct 2026 | 00:54:56 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Keeping kids safe online takes more than setting screen-time limits or turning on parental controls. In this episode, digital safety expert Chris McKenna, founder of Protect Young Eyes and author of Five Habits of the Tech Ready Family, joins us to talk about raising kids who can navigate technology with greater safety, confidence, and judgment. We explore how children’s developing brains interact with persuasive technology, why parents should model healthy digital habits, how to build enough trust that kids will come to us when something goes wrong online, and how to use practical guardrails without making technology feel like a constant battle. For adoptive, foster, and kinship families, we also discuss how trauma, disrupted relationships, and a child’s need to maintain important connections can shape decisions about access, supervision, and digital independence. Resources: Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| What If Important Information Was Withheld About a Foster Placement? - Weekend Wisdom | 03 Oct 2026 | 00:14:02 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! What do you do when you discover that important foster placement information was withheld before you accepted a child into your home—or even before adoption was finalized? In this Weekend Wisdom episode, we respond to an adoptive parent who learned that behaviors they had specifically said they could not manage had been documented in previous foster homes. We explore how to hold the agency accountable without placing that conflict on the child, use newly discovered records as a roadmap rather than a verdict, respond to challenging behaviors with safety and compassion, and help a child learn that they no longer have to hide their struggles in order to belong. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Helping Kids Transition From Foster Care to Adoption | 30 Sep 2026 | 00:55:15 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! The transition from foster care to adoption can bring relief and security, but it can also stir anxiety, grief, uncertainty, and behaviors families may not expect. In this episode, adoptive dad Adrian Potter shares what his family learned while adopting three siblings who had spent years in foster care. We discuss building trust through predictability and routine, helping a parentified child return to the role of sibling, giving children voice in the adoption process, responding to mixed emotions and changing behaviors, maintaining important connections, and building the support system families need before and after finalization. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| How to Lessen the Trauma for a 4-Year-Old Moving Into My Home - Weekend Wisdom | 26 Sep 2026 | 00:05:30 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: My niece has been living with her paternal grandparents for two years. She is now four and they have decided that it is getting too hard for them. We’ve agreed to take her in. She knows us, but we haven’t spent much time with her. What’s the best way to move her to our home that will cause the least psychological damage to her. She is very attached to her grandparents. Resources: Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| What Do I Look For In A Trauma-Informed Parenting Model? | 23 Sep 2026 | 01:16:49 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! With so many trauma-informed parenting approaches available, how do foster, adoptive, and kinship parents know which strategies will actually fit their child and family? In this episode, childhood trauma consultant Beth Tyson helps parents cut through the overwhelm and understand what to look for in a trauma-responsive parenting model. We explore why safety, trust, attachment, and connection should be at the foundation; how trauma can affect a child’s behavior, developmental age, sensory needs, and relationships; and why caregiver self-awareness matters just as much as understanding the child. You’ll also learn how to evaluate claims such as “evidence-based” and “brain-based,” recognize red flags in parenting programs, and decide when to adapt, combine, or move on from an approach that isn’t working. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Open Adoption: What If Birth Grandma Wants Contact but Birth Mom Doesn’t? - Weekend Wisdom | 19 Sep 2026 | 00:11:06 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! What should you do when a birth mother doesn’t want contact in open adoption, but other birth family members still want a relationship with your child? In this Weekend Wisdom episode, we answer one adoptive parent’s question about how to support a child who wants to see his birth mother while continuing a meaningful relationship with his birth grandmother. We discuss how to talk honestly with your child without blaming or making promises, prepare for visits with birth family, make space for sadness and disappointment, keep relationships separate rather than treating one as a substitute for another, and leave the door open for future contact if and when the birth mother is ready. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Where Do I Belong? Young Transracial Adoptee Adults Talk About Race, Identity, & Belonging | 16 Sep 2026 | 01:14:00 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! How can parents support transracial adoption identity and belonging as children grow and begin defining who they are for themselves? In this panel conversation, three young adults with lived experience in adoption and foster care share how family, race, culture, community, trauma, and relationships shaped their developing identities and sense of belonging. They discuss the difference between having a placement and truly feeling wanted, what it means to be fully known by the people who love you, how parents can respond to bias and difficult conversations, and why families adopting across racial or cultural lines must be willing to listen, learn, and be changed by the child they welcome into their family. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| When Should You Consider Residential Treatment for an Adopted Teen? - Weekend Wisdom | 12 Sep 2026 | 00:06:11 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! When should a parent consider residential treatment for an adopted teen who has been struggling for years? One listener shared that after trying therapy, different supports, and everything they knew to help their child heal, simply hearing the words “residential treatment” felt like a parental failure. In this Weekend Wisdom episode, we explore how to move beyond the question, “Am I giving up on my child?” and instead ask what level of support your teen needs right now. We also discuss how gathering information, expanding your child’s support team, and considering a higher level of care can be part of continuing to show up for your child—not abandoning them. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| How Can We Protect Kids from Sexual Exploitation Without Scaring Them? | 09 Sep 2026 | 01:00:19 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! How can parents protect kids from sexual exploitation without teaching them to fear the world around them? For adoptive, foster, and kinship families, this question can feel especially important when raising children who have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect, disrupted attachment, or other challenges that may affect trust, boundaries, and their need for connection. In this episode, child safety advocate and author CJ Scarlet, also known as The Badass Grandma, joins us to discuss how parents and caregivers can help kids recognize grooming and unsafe situations, trust their instincts, set healthy boundaries, identify trusted adults, and build the confidence and practical safety skills they need. We also explore how parents can become the safe, responsive adults their children will turn to when something goes wrong—without placing the responsibility for preventing sexual exploitation on the child. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Are You Ready to Foster or Adopt a Sibling Group? - Weekend Wisdom | 05 Sep 2026 | 00:11:15 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Are you considering whether your family is ready to foster or adopt a sibling group? Keeping siblings together can preserve important family relationships, shared history, and connection, but parenting multiple children who have experienced trauma also requires careful preparation. In this Weekend Wisdom episode, we explore the questions prospective foster and adoptive parents should ask before saying yes, including each child’s individual needs, sibling dynamics, trauma history, your family’s time and emotional capacity, the needs of children already in your home, and the support systems you will need for a successful placement. Resources: Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| How Do You Adopt a Relative from Another Country? | 02 Sep 2026 | 00:52:41 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! If you want to adopt a relative from another country, the process involves much more than simply proving your family connection. International relative adoption—sometimes called international kinship adoption—must meet U.S. immigration requirements as well as the adoption laws of the child’s country. In this episode, we talk with Debbie Price, BSW, Executive Director of Children’s House International, and Kathy Holliday, International Specialist, also of Children’s House International. They explain who may qualify, USCIS and Hague requirements, age limits, realistic timelines, and why families should work with a Hague-accredited adoption agency from the beginning. We also explore how to prepare your family for the child’s transition, including grief and trauma, attachment, changing family roles, cultural identity, school adjustment, and the importance of patience and support after adoption. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Can Autistic Adults Be Foster Parents? – Weekend Wisdom | 29 Aug 2026 | 00:06:50 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: I recently received an autism diagnosis in my mid-30s. I have relatively low support needs and am working with my therapist to identify the best ways to manage my energy. I think I could still be a good foster parent, but will it be an issue for an agency? Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Open Adoption: Practical Strategies for Staying Connected with Birth Family | 26 Aug 2026 | 00:39:54 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! What does healthy openness in adoption really look like—and how can adoptive parents maintain meaningful birth family connections over time? In this episode, we talk with adoptive mom Annie Iverson about practical strategies for open adoption, including staying consistent when life gets busy, setting healthy boundaries, keeping your child’s needs at the center, and adjusting openness as children grow. We also explore how connection with birth family can support an adoptee’s identity and sense of belonging, plus ways parents can honor a child’s birth family and story even when direct contact is limited or inconsistent. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Kids Do Well When They Can - Weekend Wisdom | 22 Aug 2026 | 00:06:28 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! 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:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Too Many Goodbyes: How Foster Care Instability Impacts Children | 19 Aug 2026 | 00:51:09 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Children in foster care can experience far more than a change in placement. They may lose caregivers, siblings, schools, routines, communities, caseworkers, therapists, and other trusted relationships—sometimes again and again. What does that repeated instability mean for a child’s behavior, sense of safety, and ability to trust? In this episode, we talk with Rita Soronen, President and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, about the impact of foster care instability and what caregivers and child welfare professionals can do to create greater stability and connection. We explore why challenging behavior can be a form of communication, how foster and adoptive parents can build safety through predictable routines and promises kept, why children’s voices must be included in permanency decisions, and how child-focused recruitment can help children find lasting families. The conversation also explores the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids model and why understanding a child’s relationships, history, culture, and needs can lead to stronger permanency outcomes. Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| 5 Ways to Handle Bedtime Battles Without Dividing Your Parenting Team - Weekend Wisdom | 15 Aug 2026 | 00:18:26 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Bedtime can be especially challenging for children who have experienced trauma, loss, or disrupted attachment—and even harder when parents disagree about how to respond. In this episode of Weekend Wisdom from Creating a Family, we share practical ways to approach bedtime as a team, divide the parenting load more fairly, support your child’s need for connection and regulation, and protect your relationship from exhaustion and resentment. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Big Feelings, Better Connection: Using Play to Help Kids Thrive | 12 Aug 2026 | 00:58:29 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! How can play help children heal, regulate big emotions, and strengthen attachment? We talk with Georgie Wisen-Vincent about ways that adoptive, foster, and kinship caregivers can use playfulness to build connection, support emotional growth, and help children impacted by trauma thrive. She is a nationally recognized play therapy expert, co-author of the new book , The Way of Play, and the Founder/Director of The PlayStrong Institute. In this episode, we explore why play is essential to children's emotional development, how trauma, loss, neglect, and disrupted attachment can affect a child's ability to play, and what caregivers can learn from the stories and behaviors that show up during play. Georgie also shares practical ways to use playful connection to build trust, respond to big feelings, and strengthen attachment—even when a child resists play or a caregiver doesn't naturally consider themselves playful. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| How Do I Find Non-Religious Resources for Fostering? - Weekend Wisdom | 08 Aug 2026 | 00:09:32 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: I've been looking into a lot of resources and communities for foster parents, and it seems like many of them, especially in my area, approach fostering from a Christian perspective. I was raised Christian but am no longer comfortable in Christian spaces. How do I find community? Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Trauma-Responsive Practices To Set Your Kids Up for Success in School | 05 Aug 2026 | 00:53:37 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! What are trauma-responsive practices, and how can they impact your child’s behavior, emotional well-being, and success in school? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Brandy-Lea McCombs, founder of STL234 Outreaches and a frequent speaker on reviving resilience in children, drawing from her professional research and her personal journey as an adoptive parent. Learn practical trauma-responsive practices for building connection during calm moments, responding to meltdowns, balancing empathy with healthy boundaries, and partnering with your child’s school. This conversation offers encouragement and actionable strategies for adoptive, foster, and kinship parents who want to strengthen resilience and help their children feel safe, supported, and ready to thrive. RESOURCES:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Our Baby Was Exposed Prenatally to Substances. Should I Worry? - Weekend Wisdom | 01 Aug 2026 | 00:17:37 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: Our adopted son is almost 4 months old and perfectly healthy. He eats well, sleeps well, and seems to be hitting his milestones just fine. We know that he was exposed to cocaine during pregnancy, but he was born only three weeks early, which is still full-term. He had a healthy birth weight, he was not suffering from withdrawal in the hospital, and he has checked out as perfectly healthy at all of his pediatrician visits so far. My question is, does the lack of negative effects of cocaine in these early months of his life give us any indication of whether or not he will have learning difficulties or development issues due to the cocaine when he reaches school age? I am curious whether there is any research showing that a lack of symptoms at a young age following prenatal exposure indicates fewer symptoms at an older age. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| The Emotional Lives of Teenagers | 29 Jul 2026 | 00:52:28 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Are you parenting teens, or will you be in a few years? Don’t miss this conversation with psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour, author of the book, “The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents.“ In this episode, we discuss:
Resource: American Psychological Association: Health advisory on social media use in adolescence Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| How Do We Make It Through Summer Without Falling Apart? - Weekend Wisdom | 25 Jul 2026 | 00:08:08 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: I feel terrible even saying this, but I am counting down the days until school starts. My kids have trauma histories, ADHD, and prenatal exposure, and summer has been rough. The lack of routine seems to make everything harder—sleep, behavior, arguing, screen time, all of it. We started summer with big plans, but now everyone is cranky, including me. How do we make it through the rest of summer without completely falling apart? Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| How Your Attachment History Shapes Your Parenting | 22 Jul 2026 | 00:45:01 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! When we think about attachment in adoption and foster care, we usually focus on the child. But parents bring their own attachment histories and life experiences into the relationship as well. Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker explores how a parent's past can shape their parenting, influence reactions to challenging behaviors, and impact family connection and healing. Dr. Wirta-Leiker is a licensed psychologist, transnational and transracial adoptee, adoptive parent, creator of the National Adoptee-Therapist Directory, and author of the Adoptees Like Me children’s book series. In this episode, we discuss:
Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| "I Don't Know What They Need" • Supporting Kids with Autism Through Big Feelings - Weekend Wisdom | 18 Jul 2026 | 00:18:59 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: What advice do you have for fostering/adopting children with autism, particularly those with limited communication skills? How can we best support them in expressing big feelings and feeling safe to do so? What can we do to help them feel they have some control and feel heard when they can't always communicate what they want and have a harder time understanding what's going on? Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| The Power of Story: Helping Kids Heal and Thrive | 15 Jul 2026 | 01:03:30 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! How can storytelling help kids heal? In this episode, we talk to Dr. Sharon Zaffarese-Dippold to explore how story helps children make sense of their experiences, build resilience, and move toward thriving, including simple, everyday ways to begin using it at home. She is a psychotherapist with 27 years of experience in counseling and author of the "Garbage Bag Life" series, which emphasizes her journey through foster care. In this episode, we discuss:
Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| We Parent So Differently! How Do We Manage the Differences? - Weekend Wisdom | 11 Jul 2026 | 00:20:28 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: My partner and I parent really differently, especially with our adopted child. I’m more focused on connection and understanding behavior, and my partner is much more strict and consequences-focused. We keep arguing about discipline and routines, and honestly, it’s starting to hurt our relationship too. How do we stop fighting about parenting and work better together? Resources:
Related Podcasts:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Navigating Special Education and Advocating for Your Child | 08 Jul 2026 | 00:56:04 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Navigating special education can feel overwhelming—but you don’t have to do it alone. In this episode, we’re joined by Paula J. Yost, a licensed clinical mental health therapist, special education advocate, lawyer, educator, and author who breaks down IEPs, 504 plans, evaluations, and how to effectively advocate for your child. In this episode, we discuss:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| I Need Some Concrete Ideas to Build a More Secure Attachment! - Weekend Wisdom | 04 Jul 2026 | 00:13:03 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: My child is in upper elementary school, and we’ve been together for a while, but they still keep me at arm’s length. What are some concrete things I can do now to help build a more secure attachment? Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Child Hosting Programs: Preparing to be a Host Family | 01 Jul 2026 | 00:47:47 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! What should you consider when preparing to become a host family to a child who is eligible for international adoption? We talk with Misty Lucas, an International Program Director at Gladney Center for Adoption. In this episode, we talk about:
Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| I Really Don't Want an Open Adoption! - Weekend Wisdom | 27 Jun 2026 | 00:06:29 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: We have applied to adopt a baby. We’re more or less being told that if we don’t agree to an open adoption, we’ll never get chosen by a birth mom. But, I really don’t want an open adoption. I think kids need just one mom and dad and opening up our family to others will just be confusing for everyone. But, I’m afraid that we’ll never get chosen if I say this. Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Parenting Neurodiverse Teens: Practical Help for Hard Days | 24 Jun 2026 | 00:57:18 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Parenting neurodiverse tweens and teens can feel overwhelming, especially when traditional parenting strategies don’t seem to work. In this episode, we talk with Carl Young and Joel Sheagren, co-authors of Embracing Hope: Innovative Strategies to Empower Parents Raising Neurodiverse Teens, about practical, brain-based strategies to reduce conflict, support emotional regulation, strengthen connection, and navigate the hard seasons with more hope. In this episode, we discuss:
Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| What Should I Ask for Before Finalizing a Foster Adoption? - Weekend Wisdom | 20 Jun 2026 | 00:12:41 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: We’re getting close to adopting our foster child, and I keep worrying there are things we should be asking for before finalization that we don’t even know to request. What information or records should we make sure to get from the agency so we truly understand our child’s history and needs? Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| When Parenting Feels Uneven: Helping Your Partner Step In | 17 Jun 2026 | 01:07:31 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Many parents raising adopted, foster, or kinship children feel like they’re carrying most of the parenting load alone. Talking about it and changing it can be hard. In this episode, Josh Davis, PhD, shares practical, non-blaming strategies to improve communication, build confidence, and create a stronger parenting partnership when raising kids from hard places. As Father's Day approaches, Josh also offers some downloads for Dads! In this episode, we discuss:
Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Should I Do DNA Testing for My Adopted Infant? - Weekend Wisdom | 13 Jun 2026 | 00:06:42 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: Our daughter is 11 months old and was adopted through an open adoption. We have a relationship with her birth mother, but don't yet feel it's the right moment to ask about family history, and her birth father is completely unknown to us. We do know that both birth parents are Hispanic, but beyond that, we have no additional information about her heritage or background. We want her to grow up with as rich a sense of her identity and heritage as possible. What guidance do adoption professionals offer around using genetic testing like 23andMe or AncestryDNA for adoptees? Is there an age-appropriate time to do this, or is it better to wait and let her decide for herself when she's older? Are there any other considerations unique to the adoptee experience we should keep in mind? Resources:
Listen here to learn more about our Executive Director, Linda Fiore Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Understanding the Child Welfare Experience from the Birth Parent's Perspective | 10 Jun 2026 | 00:38:49 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! We talk a lot about the child’s experience in foster care, but what is this experience like for the child’s birth parents? You may be surprised! Join our conversation with Dr. Darcey Merritt, a professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Work who researches this topic. In this episode, we discuss:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Why Is My Foster Child Hiding Food Everywhere? - Weekend Wisdom | 06 Jun 2026 | 00:10:25 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: We’re new foster parents and have noticed that our child is hiding food in their backpack, closet, and even under the bed. We make sure there’s always plenty to eat, so we’re confused and a little concerned. Is this something we should be worried about? Why might they be doing this, and how should we respond in a way that helps them feel safe? Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| Raising Kids, Caring for Parents | 03 Jun 2026 | 00:37:04 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Raising kids while caring for aging parents is more common than ever—and often overwhelming. We talk with Robyn Wind, the GRAND Voices Support Coordinator for the National Center on Grandfamilies at Generations United, about the realities of sandwich generation caregiving and practical ways foster, adoptive, and kinship families can find support. In this episode, we discuss:
Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| How to Get a Birth Certificate & SSN After Your Baby’s Adoption - Weekend Wisdom | 30 May 2026 | 00:09:06 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: I’m in the process of adopting an infant and feeling overwhelmed by the paperwork. How do I get my child’s birth certificate and Social Security number after the adoption is finalized? What steps do I need to take, what documents are required, and how does this vary by state? Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| A Hard but Helpful Step: Navigating Residential Treatment for Adopted Kids | 27 May 2026 | 00:58:30 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Are you considering residential treatment for your adopted child? We speak with Daniel Hochstetler of Fair Play Camp in South Carolina about preparing our families for residential treatment, navigating the programs, and how to set our families up for success after treatment. In this episode, we talk about:
Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| ADHD or Trauma? How Foster Parents Can Advocate at School - Weekend Wisdom | 23 May 2026 | 00:11:15 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: The school thinks my foster son may have ADHD, but I know he’s been through a lot of trauma. How do I know what’s driving his behavior and how to advocate for the support he actually needs? Resources:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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| The Power of Showing Up for Families Before They Fall Apart | 20 May 2026 | 00:50:59 | |
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! What if families had support before a crisis led to foster care? In this episode, we talk with Dr. David Anderson, psychologist and founder and executive director of SAFE Families for Children, about a community-based model that helps keep children safe while supporting parents through difficult seasons. Dr. Anderson also serves as Executive Director of Lydia Home Association in Chicago and has been recognized as an Ashoka Fellow and Prime Movers Fellow. In this episode, we discuss:
Please leave us a rating or review. 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.
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