The Many Faces of Mother’s Day
–by Lorraine Fuller Mother’s Day is so many things to so many people. I was blessed to have one or two Hallmark-worthy experiences. Breakfast in bed of soggy cereal and burnt toast (pro tip: a dog is very useful in these situations!), handmade gifts and cards. I cherish those memories and warm, fuzzy feelings from […]
What Parents Want Therapists to Know – Part I
–by Lorraine Fuller As a mom who is trying to help her children in every possible way, I research so that I can learn all I can about the issues my kids face. I join groups, I read books, I take classes, I attend trainings, I go to conferences, all so I can help my […]
What Happens to the Siblings of a Special Needs Child
–by Sara Borgstede [read more from Sara, including the original version of this post, at her website The Holy Mess] When my teen son, young adult daughter and I return home from a youth group meeting, my heart sinks when I see a police cruiser sitting in our driveway. We walk into the living room […]
Respect Thy Parent Voice
–by Donald Craig Peterson [originally published on the author’s blog, Adopting Faith: A Father’s Unconditional Love, March 19, 2018] Plain and simple. Parents know their children best from years of observation and interaction. They might not used fancy terms. They might not know the latest clinical terms. But they are the experts. If someone asks. […]
Behavior: Conscious or Unconscious?
–by Janyne McConnaughey, PhD The teacher and I exchanged knowing looks as a kindergartener flung herself across the table, scattering crayons and paper in every direction. We understood that intervening at this moment would only make it worse, although it probably was going to get worse anyway. I was a volunteer. I had no clue […]
When Children with Mental Health Issues Are Violent
–by Sara Borgstede [originally published on the author’s own blog, The Holy Mess, on March 1, 2018.] Manager’s note: while many children who suffer from mental health issues never become violent, the tragic reality is, some do. A huge hug of gratitude for Sara for her courage in sharing one such story. Like most people […]
What’s a Mom Supposed to Say?
–by Lorraine Fuller This is one of the hardest blogs I have ever written, harder even than the one about failure. You see, I have been asked my thoughts about the latest school shooting. Like many people, my thoughts and emotions are scattered, and being the parent of a child with early trauma has changed […]
Good Parents Can Have Kids Who Make Bad Choices
–by Sara Borgstede [originally published on the author’s own blog, The Holy Mess, on October 16, 2017] Good parents can have kids who make bad choices. There, I said it. There are plenty of good parents out there who have kids who make bad choices. I’m sure you know a few, and I do too. […]
Why Adoptive Moms Don’t Get Enough Self-Care, and What to do About It
–by Sandi Lerman [originally published on the author’s blog, Adoption Roots and Wings, May 28, 2017] Manager’s note: Trauma mama / Parent coach Sandi recently reached out to ATN, and we couldn’t be happier! Please enjoy her first post, and may there be many more to come. As a parent coach for adoptive […]
Christmas is Over…What’s Next?
–by Lorraine Fuller So, you survived Christmas! Yay! I am happy for you. I don’t know how much chocolate, or bread, or caffeine, or alcohol it took, but you survived. Soon the kids will be back to school. So let’s take a moment, even if you don’t want to hear it, to talk about next […]