How to Retain Legal Representation for Kinship Caregivers

Whether a grandmother taking on the care of her grandchild while her child is incarcerated, or an uncle stepping in to parent his siblings’ kids because of mental health issues, entering the role of a kinship caregiver can frequently lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. Kinship care, where children are looked after by relatives […]

Looting for Love

What if your child’s most difficult behaviors were desperate pleas for connection? In the classroom, teachers are taught to prioritize relationship building as means of behavior management. The idea is that the better connected teachers are to students, the less likely students will “act out,” thus requiring discipline. The same concept of leaning into connection […]

Fields of Hope

Nine-year-old Amir was used to being alone. He never played with the other kids in the neighborhood since his family moved around a lot, and he was chary of forming friendships only to lose touch soon. At school, he never socialized much and would avoid interactions as much as possible throughout the day. However, he […]

Asked & Answered: Addressing Behavioral Challenges

Among the many challenges of caring for kids either as a foster parent or kinship caregiver, handling behavioral health concerns is one of the most critical ones. We asked our readers what are some of the ways in which they deal with this issue. Therapy, therapy, therapy — counseling is the most underrated tool. Last […]

How to Parent a Traumatized Child

Years ago our adventure-seeking family went rock climbing in Wyoming. We’d been to rock climbing gyms, and we were ready to take on a real boulder. But we quickly realized we weren’t prepared: Our eyes couldn’t see brightly-colored hand- or footholds; the actual granite was cold and rough on tender fingers. Our legs, well, they […]

How to Support Kids with RAD

Reactive attachment disorder, also known as RAD, can be a source of uncertainty and fear for resource parents. At its core, RAD is a disorder caused by a child’s nervous system experiencing neglect and other traumas during the earliest, most critical stages of development. Children develop this condition in response to severe neglect and maltreatment […]