by GIFT Coach | Nov 8, 2013 | Adoptive Parenting Skills/Tool, Faith and Values, General Discussion, Infant Adoption, Post Adoption Challenges & Behaviors, Strengthening Family Relationships
In honor of National Adoption Month, GIFT is sharing the insights of adoptees. We invited them to share any thoughts which might assist families currently raising their children. Our first guest blogger is Parker Swift, pictured at left at 22 months. He is now 28....
by GIFT Coach | Oct 23, 2013 | Blogs by Joann DiStefano, Faith and Values, General Discussion, Post Adoption Challenges & Behaviors, Strengthening Family Relationships
As adoptive parents observe a warm relationship between their child and his birth parents, complicated emotions may arise. Along with joy, a subtle uneasiness, envy, or sense of competition may occur. Birth parents too, may experience similarly conflicted feelings....
by GIFT Coach | Oct 17, 2013 | Adoptive Parenting Skills/Tool, Blogs by Gayle Swift, Blogs by Joann DiStefano, General Discussion, Post Adoption Challenges & Behaviors
Before your child joined your family and you and your child’s birth parents chose Open Adoption, it probably seemed fairly simple. You developed a plan that suited your child and both sets of parents. The reality of Open Adoptions, however, often becomes more...
by GIFT Coach | Oct 9, 2013 | Blogs by Gayle Swift, Blogs by Joann DiStefano, General Discussion, Post Adoption Challenges & Behaviors
What are your goals as a parent and how do you know you’re progressing toward them? Have you and your partner identified a clear idea that is based on shared definitions? Or are you operating on assumptions that you both want the same results? Successful family...
by GIFT Coach | Oct 2, 2013 | Adoptive Parenting Skills/Tool, Blogs by Gayle Swift, Blogs by Joann DiStefano, General Discussion, Post Adoption Challenges & Behaviors
On our weekly conference call with my GIFT partners, we talked about the influence our kids choices have on one another. Some of us notice that when one child shines the other frequently implodes—finds himself choosing behaviors that produce dramatic,...
by GIFT Coach | Sep 25, 2013 | Blogs by Gayle Swift, Blogs by Joann DiStefano, General Discussion, Post Adoption Challenges & Behaviors, Strengthening Family Relationships, The Adoption Triad
According to Steven Covey, “The most important ingredient we put into any relationship is not what we say or what we do, but what we are.” I would assert, that the pivot point which governs a parent/child relationship revolves around feelings—our own and our child’s....
