I can't imagine how it would feel to have no father. I can imagine a remote father - detached, preoccupied, no space in his life for children. I can imagine his regret and guilt at having been talked into a family he never really wanted - or, perhaps, the absence of regret and guilt, as time starts … [Read more...] about CAN YOU IMAGINE HAVING NO FATHER?
Parenting an Adopted Child
Parenting an adopted child is HARD WORK. You need fresh ideas and inspiration when the strategies employed by friends with their birth children simply don't work.
Here are some ideas, resources and general empathy/encouragement from a mama who struggles too.
THE MERMAID WHO COULDN’T – BOOK REVIEW
Being removed from your biological family, at whatever age it happens, has life-changing impact. There will be negative emotions and responses which feel so intuitive, that the idea of ever shaking them off seems impossible. The more resources which help children and parents to navigate these tricky … [Read more...] about THE MERMAID WHO COULDN’T – BOOK REVIEW
THE A-Z OF THERAPEUTIC PARENTING – BOOK REVIEW
I'm hugely excited this week to be sharing an absolutely brilliant book with you. The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting (Sarah Naish) was released a few weeks ago, and I have to tell you that it's already revolutionising my parenting. Wait...rewind a few steps...what's therapeutic parenting? It's a style … [Read more...] about THE A-Z OF THERAPEUTIC PARENTING – BOOK REVIEW
WHY ADOPT WHEN YOU CAN HAVE BIRTH CHILDREN?
It's one of those questions that many of us might have in our heads, but never actually verbalise. After all, it sounds rude, doesn't it? As if we're questioning someone's life choices - something we know never, ever to do in 21st-century Britain. Well, here's an answer. It's my answer, and it … [Read more...] about WHY ADOPT WHEN YOU CAN HAVE BIRTH CHILDREN?
WHY MY SON TORE UP HIS MOTHERS’ DAY CARD (AND IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK)
As an organised, sentimental yet time-starved Mum, my approach to archiving all those special bits and pieces that your kids produce (and which you want to keep because, my gosh, some of it is truly awful), consists of throwing them all into named box files. It works pretty well: each child has a … [Read more...] about WHY MY SON TORE UP HIS MOTHERS’ DAY CARD (AND IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK)
DOES BEING ADOPTED AFFECT A CHILD? (5 WAYS MY TODDLERS ARE DIFFERENT FROM YOURS)
As the 'at home' mum of twin 3-year-olds, I spend a lot of time in the company of other parents and toddlers. We share our trials and joys - but largely the trials. We discuss what time our children are waking up, what they refuse to eat, how many times they've sat on the naughty step today, and all … [Read more...] about DOES BEING ADOPTED AFFECT A CHILD? (5 WAYS MY TODDLERS ARE DIFFERENT FROM YOURS)
ADOPTION AND THE BENEFITS OF THE SUZUKI METHOD
Disclaimer: These views are my own, and come from my 20-month experience as a Suzuki parent in a Suzuki Early Childhood Education (SECE) class, as well as a couple of days' observing SECE training this summer, and a few weeks under my belt as a Suzuki teaching partner. In short, this post represents … [Read more...] about ADOPTION AND THE BENEFITS OF THE SUZUKI METHOD
WHAT DOES ADOPTION LOOK LIKE, 14 MONTHS IN?
It should say enough about our experience of adoption that this blog post was supposed to be titled 'adoption: six months on'. Being around eight months late with everything has become a feature of the past fourteen months. There you go, enough said. We've adopted kids, and now we have no time. Job … [Read more...] about WHAT DOES ADOPTION LOOK LIKE, 14 MONTHS IN?
7 WAYS ADOPTION IS DIFFERENT FROM BRINGING HOME A NEWBORN
The time is getting closer - we are preparing to adopt! Later this month, we will meet and bring home our little boys for the first time. This season has got me thinking back to when our birth children were born, and the differences between bringing home a newborn and bringing home an adopted … [Read more...] about 7 WAYS ADOPTION IS DIFFERENT FROM BRINGING HOME A NEWBORN