Few things frustrate me more as a dad than defiance from my fourteen-year-old son when I tell him to do something and he either ignores me or flat out refuses to comply. It makes my blood boil and all I want to do is fly into a rage. After all, this is: my house he's … Continue reading An Upside-Down Way to Address Defiance in Children with Trauma Histories
Category: Adoption
Guest Post: Train Up a Child, by Scott DeLoach
Let’s start with full disclosure: I am not a foster dad. But I am a foster grandpa turned adoptive grandpa and a transracial adoptive dad, as well as a biological dad and a biological grandpa. Four kids came into our house through birth, and one through adoption. Two of my kids have ADHD, one has … Continue reading Guest Post: Train Up a Child, by Scott DeLoach
Embracing the Tension of Adoption
Today is National Adoption Day, and, since I am an adoptive dad, it seemed appropriate for me to write today’s article. But as I considered my angle, I was torn between the desire to talk up how beautiful adoption is and the responsibility to acknowledge how heartbreaking adoption is as well. There is an inherent, … Continue reading Embracing the Tension of Adoption
Road Trip for Foster and Adoptive Dads: Why You Need to Go!
A few weeks ago, Dave and I loaded up his VW Bus and hit the road for a stirring expedition into the untamed wilderness of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. On a mountain high above Colorado Springs, some top-notch men were putting on a non-conference, non-retreat specifically for foster and adoptive dads called Road Trip. Typically … Continue reading Road Trip for Foster and Adoptive Dads: Why You Need to Go!
Low-Oxygen Thoughts from the Manitou Incline
I mentioned on Wednesday that Zach and I attended Road Trip for Dads, and that once the event was over we attempted to conquer the Manitou Incline, as it had defeated us a few days prior. The Incline is incredibly steep. It climbs from 6,600 feet elevation above sea level to 8,590 feet in less … Continue reading Low-Oxygen Thoughts from the Manitou Incline
8 Habits That Make Me A Better Dad
I don't know about you, but I learned a lot about myself when I became a dad. Unfortunately, most of what I learned is that I'm not as good or strong a man as I thought I was. This isn't to say that I discovered I'm some horrible monster because I didn't. Rather, fatherhood uncovered … Continue reading 8 Habits That Make Me A Better Dad
I Am Not a Saint
Every once in a while, I'm suddenly struck anew by the fact that I have a teenage son. It's particularly bizarre because of my young age and because of the fact that until a little over a year ago I didn't have any kids. Similarly, when I hear those AdoptUSKids “What to Expect When You're … Continue reading I Am Not a Saint
Guest Post: The Peculiar Thing[s] About Fostering, by Jon Williford
Today's guest post was written by Jon Williford. Jon has been a foster parent for four years and he and his wife are passionate about caring for children with special needs. If you'd like to write a guest post for The Foster Dads, click here! ----- Special-needs fostering is not what we wanted. We’re foster … Continue reading Guest Post: The Peculiar Thing[s] About Fostering, by Jon Williford
This is Hard, But We’re Doing It
My wife and I finalized the adoption of our teenage son a couple weeks back and, unlike when he first moved in with us a year ago, there was no honeymoon period. Even though we were adamant about being realistic, we quietly hoped that making everything official and legal would curtail the testing behaviors that … Continue reading This is Hard, But We’re Doing It
Some Practical Things You Can Do to Help Out the Foster Dad in Your Life.
I find that these posts are easier to write when I’m feeling a little emotional. Maybe that takes the edge off some of my cynicism or something, I dunno. They’re also easier to write when I’m enjoying a beer and/or a stogie on the back deck, but that’s another story. This evening I have the … Continue reading Some Practical Things You Can Do to Help Out the Foster Dad in Your Life.