DiscoverCreating a Family: Talk about Adoption, Foster & Kinship Care
Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption, Foster & Kinship Care
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Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption, Foster & Kinship Care

Author: Creating a Family

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Are you thinking about adopting or fostering a child? Confused about all the options and wondering where to begin? Or are you an adoptive or foster parent or kinship caregiver trying to be the best parent possible to this precious child? This is the podcast for you! Every week, we interview leading experts for an hour, discussing the topics you care about in deciding whether to adopt/foster or how to be a better parent. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are the national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content: weekly podcasts, weekly articles, and resource pages on all aspects of family building at our website, CreatingaFamily.org. We also have an active presence on many social media platforms. Please like or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

751 Episodes
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Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: I have resentment against my (soon-to-be adopted) child’s mom, who is an addict. I get frustrated with his disrespect & disobedience, and bitterness & resentment rise up. He also respects my husband way more than me. I am trying so hard not to let it show or to take it out on him. I need help! Resources: Parenting Children with Challenging Behaviors Prenatal Exposure, Part 1: Parenting Babies through Ele...
Connecting with Teens

Connecting with Teens

2025-09-2454:56

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Do you dread the teen years? Or, if you're in the midst of parenting teens, do you struggle to find ways to connect? This week, we interview Dr. Melody Aguayo, a parenting coach specializing in working with at-risk children and their families and the founder of Real Child Consulting, LLC. She is the mom of two adopted kids. In this episode, we discuss: Parents wonder why their easy and natural connection with their kids change...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. I spent some time this week thinking about what I’ve learned from my experiences as an adoptive parent and the wisdom of others in our community. In reflection, I've created a list of the things I wish I knew before adopting. Resources: 8 Things I Wish I Had Known Before I AdoptedFree courses to strengthen your familyTherapeutic Parenting: Strategies & SolutionsBeginner’s Guide to TBRI Support the show Please leave...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Kinship-led families have unique needs, and finding resources to meet those needs can be a challenge. Today, we're talking with Mike Heath, a Resource Specialist with the Coalition for Children, Youth & Families in Wisconsin. The Coalition is a Resource Center for birth parents, foster families, adoptive families, relative/kinship/and like-kin caregivers, and child welfare and Tribal agency professionals. In this episode, ...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Today, we are tackling a question that comes up a lot for parents and caregivers in our community – what do you do with a picky eater? Resources: Food IssuesMy Foster Child Only Eats Junk FoodPractical Solutions to Typical Food Issues with Adopted and Foster Kids Support the show Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to st...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Jackson TerKeurst was born in Liberia and by the age of 7 was a war orphan living in dire circumstances. So how did he end up as an entrepreneur, leader, and now author? Join us for an inspirational conversation about identity, overcoming, and redemption from Jackson's new book, The Only Way Forward is Back. In this episode, we discuss: Cultural differences How challenges like poverty and food insecurity impacted your fir...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: Are there travel restrictions when you are fostering? For example, my family lives out of state, but can I bring the child with me when I travel to visit family? Resources: Working as Part of a Foster Care TeamWorking with the Birth Parents for the Child's Best InterestBecoming a Foster ParentSupport the show Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national no...
Adopting Older Kids

Adopting Older Kids

2025-09-0301:08:51

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you considering adopting a child over the age of 5? Listen to this interview with Sarah Hansen and Simi Riesner. Sarah is the Director of International Advocacy at the Gladney Center for Adoption, with over 20 years of experience supporting adoptive families and children. She is also an adoptive parent to an older child from Thailand. Simi is the Executive Director of Mazi Adoption and Family Services, as well as a license...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Questions: I am a 58 single man and I am considering fostering. My first question is how much of a bias is there against men? What are the unique challenges that single foster dads face that discourage so many? What can we do to get more single foster dads to help families reunify, foster, and possibly adopt?Resources: Creating a Support Network as a Single Adoptive, Foster, or Kinship Parent (Article)Adopting ...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you educated and informed on the issues around weed and vaping, including THC, nicotine, and the signs of addiction? Listen to this interview with Dr. Krishna White. She is an attending physician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, with board certifications in Pediatrics, Adolescent Medicine, and Addiction Medicine. In this episode, we discuss: Can you explain why kids who’ve experienced trauma, prenatal subs...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: I have listened to hundreds of adoption-related podcast episodes, but very few of them have talked about talking directly with a potential birth mother. We were matched with an expectant mother who wanted to be able to communicate with us directly. We agreed, believing that it would help us form a better relationship. However, we were mentally unprepared for the wavering she expressed to us. Despite being so certain ...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you considering adopting internationally? You need to listen to this interview about the laws and processes that you will be required to follow. We'll be talking with Kelly Dempsey, a partner with Fox Rothschild, who specializes in adoption and assisted reproduction. She is a fellow in the Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys and an adoptive parent through both international and domestic adoptions. In ...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: Hi, my husband, biological daughter and I are in the process of infant adoption. We have passed our home study and have made our profile book. We are at the point where we are viewing expectant moms' profiles. My husband‘s family is very excited and ready for this new chapter in our lives, but my family, however, seems unsure. It’s been hard to communicate with my parents about adoption, and it seems like when they a...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Most children will experience bullying at some point. What can parents do to help protect their children and to help their children cope if they are bullied? Host Dawn Davenport, Executive Director of Creating a Family, the national infertility & adoption education and support nonprofit, interviews Brooke Randolph, LMHC, a child and family therapist and author of The Bully Book: A Workbook for Kids Coping with Bullies; and...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. We frequently hear from waiting parents that they are unsure when to prepare the nursery, what formula is best, or how often they should expect to feed their new baby. It's a huge life transition, and we thought today we could talk about some basic baby care tips to help you think about what's next for you and your family when you get the baby home. Resources: I'm Adopting a Baby. When Do I Set Up the Nursery?Essential Baby Ca...
Smart But Scattered

Smart But Scattered

2025-08-0601:00:51

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Does your child struggle to get or stay organized? Is homework a battle you dread every day? Prepare yourself to support your children for the Back to School season with this interview with Dr. Richard Guare. He's a neuropsychologist and board-certified behavior analyst focused on autism, learning, attention, and behavior disorders, and acquired brain injuries. He is the co-author of Smart But Scattered: The Revolutionary Appr...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. How do you know your child with prenatal substance exposure is ready to potty train? How do you start potty training a child with impacts from prenatal substance exposure, like developmental delays? This Weekend Wisdom offers practical strategies and encouragement to help you stay motivated and keep up the good work. Resources: Raising a Child with Prenatal Substance ExposureHow Do I Potty Train a Child with Prenatal Substanc...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Join us for a look at where CreatingaFamily.org - and this podcast - began and where we are heading from here. We talk today with Dawn Davenport, the founding Executive Director of the organization, as she prepares to retire from Creating a Family. In this episode, we discuss: Tell us how and why you started Creating a Family. Why start a non-profit?The Complete Guide to International Adoption: The Step by Step Guide to Findin...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: I have a question that may be well suited for a weekend wisdom episode. I'm aware of the reasons that a domestic infant adoption may fail, but I've also read about foster children having failed adoption(s) and then aging out of the system. What are some of the main reasons that a foster child experiences a failed adoption? How does that look different than (or the same as) a failed domestic infant adoption? Res...
Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. What should you look for when you are considering therapy for your child or your family? How do you find the right fit for your child's needs? We talk today with Kelly Raudenbush, Executive Director of The Sparrow Fund, a non-profit that provides therapeutic services for foster and adoptive children and their grown-ups. She is a child and family therapist with an MA degree in counseling and a certificate in clinical infant and...
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Comments (4)

Lori Lavender Luz

Nice job, Tracy. 💜

Mar 29th
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Emilia Gray

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Apr 22nd
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Denisse Del Castillo

great info

May 14th
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Sandra Yu Stahl

This podcast has such great high quality content - I wish the sound quality were better!

Feb 28th
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