by Gayle Swift | Feb 13, 2019 | Adoption-attunement, Adoptive Parenting Skills/Tool, Blogs by Gayle Swift, General Discussion
The Grammys aired last night to honor musicians of every stripe and genre which made me think of the power that music wields. Music evokes emotion in ways deeper than words. It unlocks memories reminding us of people, places, times, and events. This is why film...
by Gayle Swift | Jan 23, 2019 | Adoptive Parenting Skills/Tool, General Discussion
I took a class this weekend to learn about native plants for the garden in my new house. The most basic rule the instructor stated was to choose the right plant for the given location. Consider the weeping willow and the cactus. While each plant is lovely, they could...
by Gayle Swift | Jan 16, 2019 | Adoption-attunement, Adoptive Parenting Skills/Tool, Blogs by Gayle Swift, General Discussion, Intentional Parenting, Strengthening Family Relationships
The push-pull of modern life keeps us and our families under pressure and on edge. This tends to drive us apart into isolated cells delimited by our social media networks and devices. Often we turn to our cyber worlds for assistance, distraction and relief. Through...
by Gayle Swift | Nov 14, 2018 | Adoptive Parenting Skills/Tool, Blogs by Gayle Swift, General Discussion
Last week’s blog explored how values influence our parenting. We focused specifically on kindness and the importance of teaching our children how to be kind to themselves and others. During a follow-up conversation with my daughter—who also happens to be a teacher in...
by Gayle Swift | Aug 29, 2018 | Adoption-attunement, Adoptive Parenting Skills/Tool, Blogs by Gayle Swift, General Discussion
Last weekend I went camping with my son and his family. Something magical happens when we gather around a campfire, toast marshmallows, snack on S’mores and notice the star-studded sky arching overhead. Good times! It’s a total break from the...
by Gayle Swift | Aug 22, 2018 | Adoption-attunement, Adoptive Parenting Skills/Tool, Blogs by Gayle Swift, General Discussion
Readers of this blog know that I care for my three-year-old grandson three days a week. This is both a privilege and a joy. Trained as a teacher and honed by adoptive parenthood, I am also fascinated at the difference between parenting children with trauma histories...
