by GIFT Coach | Sep 9, 2015 | Blogs by Gayle Swift, General Discussion
Anyone who will be involved in your post-adoption life must be a fully enrolled part of your team. (This does NOT mean they are entitled to the details of your childrens’ stories. It DOES mean that they must have a commitment of the heart that becomes their...
by GIFT Coach | Jan 22, 2014 | Adoptive Parenting Skills/Tool, Blogs by Gayle Swift, Blogs by Joann DiStefano
Empathy is an essential human skill that enriches relationships, smooths life’s bumps, and enhances life’s joys. Empathy isn’t intuitive. It is a skill that must be taught. For some children—especially those with Tough Start histories—learning empathy takes more time...
by GIFT Coach | Sep 18, 2013 | Adoptive Parenting Skills/Tool, Blogs by Gayle Swift, Blogs by Joann DiStefano, General Discussion, Post Adoption Challenges & Behaviors, Strengthening Family Relationships
Last week we discussed the toxic effects of “Black Box” conversations: words that are so destructive that parents must commit to never speaking them. This week we want to focus on the conversations that others express within hearing distance of our children. Adopted...
by Gayle Swift | Jul 17, 2011 | Adoptive Parenting Skills/Tool, Blogs by Gayle Swift, Difficult Discussions, Foster Parenting, General Discussion, Post Adoption Challenges & Behaviors, Strengthening Family Relationships
As an adult, a nasty little gremlin occasionally lurks in my mind’s ear. Usually, I can activate my mute button and silence the negativity—but not always. This inner voice sabotages efforts, magnifies doubts, inflates faults and rehashes mistakes. This gremlin knows...
