Lessons Learned — Less Chores, More Backgammon
by: Craig Peterson
My oldest son hated chores. Even the mention of the word set him off!
IMG_1235[1]No wonder. Before being adopted, he was regularly told to not only watch his five younger siblings but also clean the family apartment.
Although he tried – and he did try — his step-father was never pleased with his effort and used the opportunity to beat him before taking his anger out on my son’s mother.
Bedtime and Sleep Issues: Part II
By: Jennie Murdock
In my last post, I wrote about some of the things every parent with a child with attachment issues and a history of early trauma should consider if their child has difficulty going to sleep, staying asleep or nightmares. Some of those challenges are long-term problems that can’t be solved overnight. As we work with our children to help them heal, we still have to put them to bed every night. Here are some of my favorite bedtime remedies:
Tuesday Toolbox: Bedtime and Sleep Issues: Part I
By: Jennie Murdock
I believe in serendipity…..”an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident”. As I was preparing to write this, my first post on sleep issues, I opened a recent “MindHealth” report by Dr. Gary Small. In it he was addressing the issue of “masked depression” and all of its tell-tale signs. The report reminded me that for sure, most of the children we parent and treat in therapy with serious attachment issues have that masked depression which most assuredly affects their sleep.
Lessons Learned – Understand Attachment Even Before the Placement Begins
By: Craig Peterson
Two Little BoysAlex and Travis are biological siblings. In 2001, they needed a home. One was nine and the other ten.
I wanted to help. I felt called.
Since I had done well with my first four children – all diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, I thought these two would be easier to parent. Both were high functioning and personable.
Dr. Susan Craig: Integrating Trauma Sensitive Best Practices in Your Classroom
October 14, 2014 by: Gari Lister Through Wednesday, ATN is keeping open several of the most-requested interviews presented as part of its Educating Traumatized Children Summit, and we in the Blog want to help keep readers talking, so for the next several days we will highlight several other interviews. This one is a must-know for […]
Bob Burroughs: School in an Attachment-Focused Residential Program
October 9, 2014 by: Lorraine Schneider This interview was part of ATNs Educating Traumatized Children Summit (Day 10). Bob Burroughs, PhD: School in an Attachment-Focused Residential Program First, do no harm. That’s what Bob Burroughs, head of the school at CALO says. We would all agree with him. Right? No one wants to harm our […]
Joel Ristuccia: Impact of Trauma on a Child’s Ability to Learn
September 30, 2014 by: Gari Lister I am delighted to be able to share some thoughts on the very substantive and insightful interview of Joel Ristuccia, Ed.M, from the Massachusetts Advocates for Children, Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative. His interview was presented as part of ATN’s Educating Traumatized Children Summit. Joel Ristuccia: Impact of Trauma on […]
Dr. Robert Anda: Childhood Adversity – the Nation’s Largest Public Health Crisis
September 30, 2014 by: Gari Lister So — wow! — ATN‘s Educating Traumatized Children Summit kicked off with some blockbuster interviews today! Throughout the Summit, the ATN Blog will bring you some of the insights the nearly two dozen experts being interviewed offer about ways we can work together to help traumatized children learn. Some […]
A Bigger, Better & Bolder Blog
By: Gari Lister
Welcome to ATN’s new and expanded blog! We have been working the last several months to plan a more active – and hopefully interactive – blog that will become a real resource for all of us fighting in the trenches to help our children heal from trauma and attachment issues. As ATN’s Blog Manager, I am proud to share in the exciting new initiatives of ATN.
Thanksgiving
By: Jane Samuel
‘Tis the season – for thanks giving that is. I see friends posting things they are thankful for each day on Facebook. There are probably similar lists on Twitter, Tumbler and Google+. I suspect my teens are being flooded with them on Instagram and my own email and snail mail is filling up with Thanksgiving letters from various non-profits, all worthy of a little monetary love AND thanks for their work making this a better world.