Ask any foster parent the phrase they hear the most and it will likely be “I could never do what you do” or “I’d love to foster, but I could never give the kids back.” While it is true that not everyone is equipped to be a foster parent there are so many other ways [...]
Author: Kayla North
Kayla North is co-founder of One Big Happy Home and is considered an expert on childhood trauma. Along with her husband, she has developed training materials and programs for parents, churches, and schools educating them on trauma and its impacts. Kayla is also an affiliate trainer with Trauma Free World, an ETC Parent Trainer, TBRI practitioner, and the Executive Directory of Tapestry. She speaks at churches, schools, conferences, and retreats nationwide.
Band-Aids Heal More Than You Can See
Giving and receiving love may seem like an easy thing, but for many adopted and foster kids this is hard. They have given love to people only to have those people disappear from their life or not return their love. They have received love only to be moved to a new home, or the "love" [...]
5 Ways to Use Thieves Household Cleaner in Your Home
In an effort to rid our lives of toxins we are switching our cleaning materials to more natural alternatives. Now search the internet for natural cleaners and you will likely find tons of recipes for baking soda and vinegar cleaners...maybe a drop of essential oil here or there for fragrance. While I am sure these [...]
Homemade All-Natural Deodorant
I’ve become more and more crunchy over the years and I may have finally gone over the crunchy edge...I’ve started making my own deodorant. I know some of my non-crunchy friends just gasped and are vowing never to stand near me on a hot day again. But before you write me off as one of [...]
May I Have a Compromise? [updated]
When people hear our kids ask, "May I have a compromise?" they tend to look at us a bit funny. They seem completely confused when we respond to our kids as if requesting a compromise is normal. But at our house it is very normal. In fact, it’s a question we hear no less than [...]
What’s the Impact?
Someone told me recently that she and her husband want to foster when their biological kids are older. She told me they have a heart for foster kids and a background in counseling, so they think fostering would be a great ministry. But they don't want foster kids to negatively affect their children. This is [...]
The Healing Power of Garlic [re-post]
Recently a friend said something to me that really made a lot of sense...God created us and didn't leave us with no way to treat our ailments. He created food for medicinal purpose as well as nourishment. He created natural cures for aches and pains. I remember as a child, a friend's mom who had [...]
5 Things I Keep Stocked for Cold and Flu Season
I hate being sick! Of course who likes it (besides kids who get a low-grade fever with no other symptoms and get to stay home and watch movies instead of going to school...they like it). I also hate going to the doctor and taking medicine. Over the past few years, our family has tried hard [...]
Homemade Mounds and Almond Joy
Confession....I have a HUGE sweet tooth. I know that sugar is bad for me. I know that is zaps my energy, and decreases my immune system...but I love candy. Recently Ryan and I decided that we were not going to eat candy anymore unless it is made with real food ingredients. In other words, it [...]
A Girl Named Jaime
I met a girl named Jaime at Trader Joe's the other day. She approached me and asked me if some of my children were adopted. After many years of being a foster and adoptive mom I am used to random people stopping me and asking me about my kids. When I was a new foster [...]