Big families are hard. Big families are wonderful. So many moving parts and so many messes. So many tears, and so many laughs. How do we keep it together? How do we schedule our time, yet leave time for spontaneous fun? Start with a routine It doesn't have to be a minute by minute schedule, [...]
One of the great privileges we've had the last few years has been traveling to churches across the country to train them in trauma, its impacts, and how it molds behavior. That is why we are so excited about our upcoming webcast. This March, we're going to make this 3-hour training available online. Click on [...]
Appleās āThink Differentā campaign was launched 6 weeks after Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997. He left the company in 1985 and in the intervening decade or so, Appleās financial fortunes declined a great deal until the board decided to bring him back. Apple became the first American company valued in excess of 1 Trillion [...]
It's December and there are many reasons to be excited; Christmas, family, fun, and feasting. But for kids who have experienced prenatal harm, abuse, neglect, and trauma, this time of year can be very stressful. And the increase in stress can lead to big emotions and behaviors. As parents, we have to ensure that our [...]
Navigating the Holidays Webinar As we enter the holiday season, we can begin to feel overwhelmed as emotions run high and behaviors deteriorate (both ours and our kids). Join us as we look at what makes the holidays so challenging for us and our kids and some practical things we can do to make this [...]
If youāre from the same generation as I am (Iām 42), then you probably heard this phrase many times growing up. āDo as I say and not as I do.ā While I imagine it feels good to say it, itās not really great parenting. Hereās why. Our kids learn way more by watching what we [...]
We have to start asking different questions about our kids' behaviors if we want to be connected parents. Instead of asking "What are you doing?" ask "What do you need?" Ā Addressing the need behind the behavior will help us to see our kids differently. When we see our kids differently, when we see their [...]
Attention adoptive, foster, and waiting dads of Texas!Ā RyanĀ will be joiningĀ Bruce KendrickĀ andĀ Andrew HollandĀ to lead Dad Camp at SkyRanch in Van, September 28-30. Men from across the state will meet for a weekend of teaching, bonding, highland games, optional napping, campfires, and meats on sticks. Your all-inclusive ticket includes all meals, lodging, activities, swag and training hours. [...]
Chris, Ryan, and Kayla talk about how being an empathetic listener to our children's stories can help with their healing, and why it's important for us to tell our own stories to others to help in our own healing. For when we learn to how to help heal ourselves, we can help our children in [...]
Some of our kids have big emotions. Chris talks with Ryan and Kayla about how we deal with drama when the emotions go from big to bigger to biggest. [podbean resource="episode=mjufj-97d457" type="audio-square" height="400" skin="8" fonts="Helvetica" auto="0" download="1" rtl="0"] Resources Mentioned in the Episode Harry Chapin - The Cat's in the Cradle One Big Happy Home [...]