Adoption Wise

Mentor Moments give you a chance to join the conversation as we answer a listener question. These episodes guarantee we're providing the most helpful tools and resources for exactly where you are.

This week's question is:

Should I change my adopted child's name?

Share your experience and advice in our private Facebook group. Click here to join.

Do you have a question you'd like us to answer on a future episode? Call our listener hotline, 24 hours a day, at (208) 741-3880 to record your question.

Mentor Moments give you a chance to join the conversation as we answer a listener question. These episodes guarantee we're providing the most helpful tools and resources for exactly where you are.

This week's question is:

Should I change my adopted child's name?

Share your experience and advice in our private Facebook group. Click here to join.

Do you have a question you'd like us to answer on a future episode? Call our listener hotline, 24 hours a day, at (208) 741-3880 to record your question.

Mentor Moments give you a chance to join the conversation as we answer a listener question. These episodes guarantee we're providing the most helpful tools and resources for exactly where you are.

This week's question is:

Should I change my adopted child's name?

Share your experience and advice in our private Facebook group. Click here to join.

Do you have a question you'd like us to answer on a future episode? Call our listener hotline, 24 hours a day, at (208) 741-3880 to record your question.

If you're considering fostering or adopting older kids or teens, this episode with Kristin Berry is for you.

We talk about what it's like to foster teens in your 20's and early 30's when the age gap is small, and you've never parented teens before.

We discuss the lessons we've learned from adding older kids to the family - including respecting where they've come from and the lifelong process of attachment.

Kristin also shares the sweetest part of having older kids while you're still young - hint, it has to do with grandbabies.

Relevant Resources and Links:

Connect with Kristin on Facebook

Connect with Kristin on Instagram

Born Broken: An Adoptive Journey by Kristin Berry

(this is an affiliate link)

Honestly Adoption by Mike & Kristin Berry

(this is an affiliate link)

If you're considering fostering or adopting older kids or teens, this episode with Kristin Berry is for you.

We talk about what it's like to foster teens in your 20's and early 30's when the age gap is small, and you've never parented teens before.

We discuss the lessons we've learned from adding older kids to the family - including respecting where they've come from and the lifelong process of attachment.

Kristin also shares the sweetest part of having older kids while you're still young - hint, it has to do with grandbabies.

Relevant Resources and Links:

Connect with Kristin on Facebook

Connect with Kristin on Instagram

Born Broken: An Adoptive Journey by Kristin Berry

(this is an affiliate link)

Honestly Adoption by Mike & Kristin Berry

(this is an affiliate link)

If you're considering fostering or adopting older kids or teens, this episode with Kristin Berry is for you.

We talk about what it's like to foster teens in your 20's and early 30's when the age gap is small, and you've never parented teens before.

We discuss the lessons we've learned from adding older kids to the family - including respecting where they've come from and the lifelong process of attachment.

Kristin also shares the sweetest part of having older kids while you're still young - hint, it has to do with grandbabies.

Relevant Resources and Links:

Connect with Kristin on Facebook

Connect with Kristin on Instagram

Born Broken: An Adoptive Journey by Kristin Berry

(this is an affiliate link)

Honestly Adoption by Mike & Kristin Berry

(this is an affiliate link)

Video games - do you love them or hate them? Do you worry about the influence of gaming on your kids?

In this episode, Melissa and her husband, Patrick, discuss video games and their approach to managing gaming in their family. You may be surprised at some of their thoughts. Can video games teach kids how to solve problems, work as a team, and even help us connect as families?

Relevant Resources and Links:

Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal

Jane's TedTalk: Gaming Can Make a Better World

SuperBetter App (for gamifying your life)

Head's Up App (iTunes | Google Play)

Games That Work For Other Families

Episode 27: Tips for Getting Chores Done

Ask Patrick a question in The Adoption Connection FB Group

Patrick's Game Recommendations:

(This list contains affiliate links.)

Console Games

Portal (all of them)

The Turing Test

Death Squared

Peggle

Human: Fall Flat

The Witness (for those who want an extra challenge!)

Games With Killing

Tomb Raider (all of them)

Assassin's Creed (all of them)

All LEGO games (These have non-gory killing. The LEGO men just break into pieces.)

Mobile Apps

Angry Birds

Happy Glass

2048

Flow Free

Mentor Moments:

This week Lisa and Melissa answer the question:

"How can I connect to the heart of my son who is still HYPER focused on his biological mom. She is his mom. I know this. I do not want to replace her. I’m just not sure how to reach him?"

Video games - do you love them or hate them? Do you worry about the influence of gaming on your kids?

In this episode, Melissa and her husband, Patrick, discuss video games and their approach to managing gaming in their family. You may be surprised at some of their thoughts. Can video games teach kids how to solve problems, work as a team, and even help us connect as families?

Relevant Resources and Links:

Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal

Jane's TedTalk: Gaming Can Make a Better World

SuperBetter App (for gamifying your life)

Head's Up App (iTunes | Google Play)

Games That Work For Other Families

Episode 27: Tips for Getting Chores Done

Ask Patrick a question in The Adoption Connection FB Group

Patrick's Game Recommendations:

(This list contains affiliate links.)

Console Games

Portal (all of them)

The Turing Test

Death Squared

Peggle

Human: Fall Flat

The Witness (for those who want an extra challenge!)

Games With Killing

Tomb Raider (all of them)

Assassin's Creed (all of them)

All LEGO games (These have non-gory killing. The LEGO men just break into pieces.)

Mobile Apps

Angry Birds

Happy Glass

2048

Flow Free

Mentor Moments:

This week Lisa and Melissa answer the question:

"How can I connect to the heart of my son who is still HYPER focused on his biological mom. She is his mom. I know this. I do not want to replace her. I’m just not sure how to reach him?"

Video games - do you love them or hate them? Do you worry about the influence of gaming on your kids?

In this episode, Melissa and her husband, Patrick, discuss video games and their approach to managing gaming in their family. You may be surprised at some of their thoughts. Can video games teach kids how to solve problems, work as a team, and even help us connect as families?

Relevant Resources and Links:

Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal

Jane's TedTalk: Gaming Can Make a Better World

SuperBetter App (for gamifying your life)

Head's Up App (iTunes | Google Play)

Games That Work For Other Families

Episode 27: Tips for Getting Chores Done

Ask Patrick a question in The Adoption Connection FB Group

Patrick's Game Recommendations:

(This list contains affiliate links.)

Console Games

Portal (all of them)

The Turing Test

Death Squared

Peggle

Human: Fall Flat

The Witness (for those who want an extra challenge!)

Games With Killing

Tomb Raider (all of them)

Assassin's Creed (all of them)

All LEGO games (These have non-gory killing. The LEGO men just break into pieces.)

Mobile Apps

Angry Birds

Happy Glass

2048

Flow Free

Mentor Moments:

This week Lisa and Melissa answer the question:

"How can I connect to the heart of my son who is still HYPER focused on his biological mom. She is his mom. I know this. I do not want to replace her. I’m just not sure how to reach him?"

We asked the members of our private Facebook group, "What are your best Mother's Day survival tips?" We took what they shared and added from our own experiences to create this episode.

Here are our tips for navigating this tricky  holiday:

Keep your expectations low and communicate clearly.

Focus on someone else.

Establish simple traditions.

Honor birth moms (and other moms).

Celebrate yourself!

Relevant Resources and Links:

Episode 29: Celebrate Your Child’s Birthday and Live to Tell About It

Join our private Facebook group