JFS Newsletter

Advocacy is an art. How you approach conflicts, situations, and people makes a huge difference on how things work out. Advocacy demands that you are calm, intentional, and collaborative in every situation. You get more bees with honey is a saying worth remembering when advocating. In other words, no matter what, always be kind. How you make your child feel, their teacher, that doctor, their friends will dictate how well you are doing your job as an advocate. Being respectful and reasonable always works to make others feel good.

It’s the time of the year where large holiday gatherings abound. For families parenting children with a trauma history, these gatherings can be stressful for both youth and adults. Here are five tips to help your family navigate turkey, gifts, and extended family successfully.

Trauma is a tricky concept. Susceptible to untruths or myths. Children who have been adopted all come from a place of trauma. How to parent these children is key to your whole family’s overall well-being. Learn how your own misconceptions of trauma may be holding you back and impeding your children’s overall development.

As parents, it is normal to struggle inside when your children fight with each other. Fighting amongst siblings is normal; part of learning conflict resolution. Our Resource Family Coordinator spreads her wisdom in this piece about how to nurture healthy sibling relationships. She shares not only her professional expertise but her personal experience with her own brother.

Dear Director:

I was at back-to-school last night at my adopted daughter’s school. Boy, did I feel alienated and out of place. The other moms were all worried about picture day and being able to access their child’s grades. I am just happy when my 11-year-old daughter gets to the bus on time and has a day with no major behavioral incidents. I see now what everyone has been saying about the value of knowing other adoptive families. But I know none. I just don’t even know where to start meeting and connecting with other similar families.

Please Help!