Merry Christmas, fellow foster/adoptive dads, however it may find you. I absolutely love Christmas, but it can also be a particularly stressful time for foster/adoptive dads. The family is all together just a bit too much, the budget’s a little (or a lot) tighter, the chaos of the festivity can be overwhelming for the kids, … Continue reading Christmas Hope for Foster/Adoptive Dads
The following is the second part of a series of articles all about taking a fresh look at control, particularly when it comes to raising children. To read part one, click here. In the time I’ve spent both as a foster/adoptive dad and knowing/working with other foster/adoptive parents, I’ve noticed that we have a tendency … Continue reading Rethinking Control, Part 2: Anger as a Reaction to Loss of Control
I saw a pilgrim on his way, It seemed to power and to fame. I followed to escape the fear of feeling. If, in his constant company, If, in his steps, a man I’d be, Then none would see I’m desperate for healing. . He marched as if by siren’s song, But then I feared … Continue reading Poetry: The Pilgrim’s Hallelujah
The following is the first part of a series of articles all about taking a fresh look at control, particularly when it comes to raising children. We hope this content is beneficial for you and that you'll stay tuned for more. If you read almost any parenting book, one word that will almost undoubtedly get … Continue reading Rethinking Control, Part 1: Recognizing What You Can and Can’t Control
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
If you’ve ever bothered to read my bio, you already know that I’ve been fostering for more than five loooonnng years. What it doesn’t say, is that I’ve been doing it all by myself for that time as a single guy. I’m surprised the author of that bio (hint: it wasn’t me) didn’t see fit to … Continue reading Dave’s Definitive Guide to Being a Single Foster Dad
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
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
Today’s thoughts are dedicated to my parents, who likely didn’t get much sleep until perhaps I was a teenager. And have made it known that I'm getting what I deserve when one of my kids keeps me up! Warning: This article will end up being a little PG-13, but please forgive me for that--I’m only … Continue reading Emergency Care: A Short-Term Way to Make a Big Difference
We here at The Foster Dads are big proponents of adoption in cases where that is appropriate and necessary. November is National Adoption Month, so we want to send out a "keep on keeping on" to all of you adoptive dads like me. I know from personal experience that being an adoptive father isn't easy, … Continue reading November is National Adoption Month!
