strong foundation Archives - Page 5 of 6 - Growing Intentional Families Together, LLC

10 Ways to Increase Attunement with Adopted Children–Part 1

by GIFT Coach | Oct 22, 2014 | Blogs by Gayle Swift, General Discussion

Let’s stipulate that a healthy parent-child relationship grows in the nurturing cocoon of love. In adoptive families love is present, pervasive, intentional and committed. Unfortunately, love is not “enough” to firmly heal a child’s losses in...

Open Adoption: What it is not. What it is.

by GIFT Coach | Oct 1, 2014 | Adoptive Parenting Skills/Tool, Blogs by Guests, General Discussion, Open Adoption

In this week’s blog, GIFT is pleased to feature a guest blogger. Jody Cantrell Dyer, author of Eye of Adoption, Parents, Stop and Think and Field Day. Jody is a mom by both birth and open adoption, and a teacher; she blogs at Theories Size 12. Jody writes...

Difficult Adoption Topics: Rape, Suicide, Drug Abuse, Prostitution, Incarceration, etc.

by Gayle Swift | Sep 16, 2014 | Blogs by Guests, Difficult Discussions, Foster Care Adoption, General Discussion, Infant Adoption, International Adoption, Post Adoption Challenges & Behaviors, Strengthening Family Relationships

In this week’s blog, we continue last week’s exploration of Difficult Conversations in the context of adoption. GIFT–Growing Intentional Families Together–is pleased to include another important voice from the wider adoption community. Beth O’Malley...

When the Truth is Ugly, Painful and/or Sad

by Gayle Swift | Sep 9, 2014 | Difficult Discussions, Faith and Values, Post Adoption Challenges & Behaviors, Strengthening Family Relationships

Last week our blog focused on living the reality of unconditional love under extremely challenging circumstances. This week we will look at some challenges to telling the entire truth of “their story” to our children. Some children come to adoption because...

Rules—Golden and Otherwise

As parents, we appreciate the structure that rules bring to families. Sound rules establish firm, clear boundaries. This creates a secure framework for kids. It also offers them something to push against. Kids are born explorers–courageous, persistent they strain to...