Adoption Wise

Do you have teens or young adults? We get more questions about parenting this group than any other. We both currently have teens at home and have launched several of our young adults.

Parenting teens and young adults has unique rewards and challenges, especially when our teens have experienced trauma and adverse experiences. We’ve learned from our mistakes and successes.

In the end, it all comes down to one key thing and we can’t wait to tell you about it.

Don’t miss this episode about parenting with the future in mind!

Additional posts about parenting teens and young adults

Older Child Adoption | What I Would Have Done Differently

10 Disastrous Mistakes Parents Make in Older Child Adoption

Older Child Adoption | What We Did Right

More Lessons in Older Child Adoption

12 Practical Tips for Parenting Teens

A Three-Point Plan for Parenting Middle Schoolers

Kids with a history of trauma and adverse experiences often struggle in a traditional learning environment. As parents, it's daunting to know how to best advocate for your student. You may feel like it's you against the school and no one is on your side. This week Sandi Lerman, MA Ed, shares her best tips for helping your child get the free and appropriate education the law requires.

Sandi Lerman is an Education Consultant and the proud Mama Bear of a 17-year old who was adopted at age 10 from Guatemala. Additionally, she is founder of WingBuilder, LCC, providing parent training and coaching for parents of adopted children and others with developmental trauma through her HEART-STRONG™ Parenting Program.

Through her years of experience as an educator and parent, Sandi walks us through a step-by-step process for navigating the education system.

Links Relevant to this episode:

Sandi's website.

Families in FLIGHT (Family Love Inspiring Growth and Healing Transformation) FB Group

Teaching with Connection FB Group

Wright's Law

Directory of Parent Training and Information Centers (PTI) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRC)

State-by-State Help

Lisa and Melissa answer this reader question:

My biggest parenting challenge is bonding with my toddler. Can you give me some suggestions?

Kids with a history of trauma and adverse experiences often struggle in a traditional learning environment. As parents, it's daunting to know how to best advocate for your student. You may feel like it's you against the school and no one is on your side. This week Sandi Lerman, MA Ed, shares her best tips for helping your child get the free and appropriate education the law requires.

Sandi Lerman is an Education Consultant and the proud Mama Bear of a 17-year old who was adopted at age 10 from Guatemala. Additionally, she is founder of WingBuilder, LCC, providing parent training and coaching for parents of adopted children and others with developmental trauma through her HEART-STRONG Parenting Program.

Through her years of experience as an educator and parent, Sandi walks us through a step-by-step process for navigating the education system.

Links Relevant to this episode:

Sandi's website.

Families in FLIGHT (Family Love Inspiring Growth and Healing Transformation) FB Group

Teaching with Connection FB Group

Wright's Law

Directory of Parent Training and Information Centers (PTI) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRC)

State-by-State Help

Lisa and Melissa answer this reader question:

My biggest parenting challenge is bonding with my toddler. Can you give me some suggestions?

*If you're already on our email list, you automatically receive each week's download in our Quick Connection email.

Kids with a history of trauma and adverse experiences often struggle in a traditional learning environment. As parents, it's daunting to know how to best advocate for your student. You may feel like it's you against the school and no one is on your side. This week Sandi Lerman, MA Ed, shares her best tips for helping your child get the free and appropriate education the law requires.

Sandi Lerman is an Education Consultant and the proud Mama Bear of a 17-year old who was adopted at age 10 from Guatemala. Additionally, she is founder of WingBuilder, LCC, providing parent training and coaching for parents of adopted children and others with developmental trauma through her HEART-STRONG Parenting Program.

Through her years of experience as an educator and parent, Sandi walks us through a step-by-step process for navigating the education system.

Links Relevant to this episode:

Sandi's website.

Families in FLIGHT (Family Love Inspiring Growth and Healing Transformation) FB Group

Teaching with Connection FB Group

Wright's Law

Directory of Parent Training and Information Centers (PTI) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRC)

State-by-State Help

Lisa and Melissa answer this reader question:

My biggest parenting challenge is bonding with my toddler. Can you give me some suggestions?

*If you're already on our email list, you automatically receive each week's download in our Quick Connection email.

Kids with a history of trauma and adverse experiences often struggle in a traditional learning environment. As parents, it's daunting to know how to best advocate for your student. You may feel like it's you against the school and no one is on your side. This week Sandi Lerman, MA Ed, shares her best tips for helping your child get the free and appropriate education the law requires.

Sandi Lerman is an Education Consultant and the proud Mama Bear of a 17-year old who was adopted at age 10 from Guatemala. Additionally, she is founder of WingBuilder, LCC, providing parent training and coaching for parents of adopted children and others with developmental trauma through her HEART-STRONG Parenting Program.

Through her years of experience as an educator and parent, Sandi walks us through a step-by-step process for navigating the education system.

Links Relevant to this episode:

Sandi's website.

Families in FLIGHT (Family Love Inspiring Growth and Healing Transformation) FB Group

Teaching with Connection FB Group

Wright's Law

Directory of Parent Training and Information Centers (PTI) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRC)

State-by-State Help

Lisa and Melissa answer this reader question:

My biggest parenting challenge is bonding with my toddler. Can you give me some suggestions?

IEP Accommodations 

Sometimes we're not even sure what we can ask schools to do for our students. This resource lists IEP accommodation recommendations for children with a history of trauma and adverse experiences. 

*If you're already on our email list, you automatically receive each week's download in our Quick Connection email.

If you’ve ever wondered how to help your child process frightening events, don’t miss this great interview with Robyn Gobbel.

Robyn is a therapist whose clinical practice is focused exclusively on working with families of children who have experienced a history of toxic stress and complex trauma.

How should we talk to our kids about scary events in the world? And what if we’re really afraid too? Robyn answers the question, “Should we fake it till you make it?”

She also gives tips for calming ourselves and gives us a great example of how to help kids process traumatic events.

Links Relevant to this episode:

Robyn's website.

Robyn on Facebook.

Robyn's posts on creating a trauma story.

#25: Regulating Through Movement and Play with Robyn Gobbel

#26: What To Do When Your Child is Out of Control with Robyn Gobbel

Lisa and Melissa answer this reader question:

Do these older kids ever launch?

If you’ve ever wondered how to help your child process frightening events, don’t miss this great interview with Robyn Gobbel.

Robyn is a therapist whose clinical practice is focused exclusively on working with families of children who have experienced a history of toxic stress and complex trauma.

How should we talk to our kids about scary events in the world? And what if we’re really afraid too? Robyn answers the question, “Should we fake it till you make it?”

She also gives tips for calming ourselves and gives us a great example of how to help kids process traumatic events.

Links Relevant to this episode:

Robyn's website.

Robyn on Facebook.

Robyn's posts on creating a trauma story.

#25: Regulating Through Movement and Play with Robyn Gobbel

#26: What To Do When Your Child is Out of Control with Robyn Gobbel

Lisa and Melissa answer this reader question:

Do these older kids ever launch?

*If you're already on our email list, you automatically receive each week's download in our Quick Connection email.

If you’ve ever wondered how to help your child process frightening events, don’t miss this great interview with Robyn Gobbel.

Robyn is a therapist whose clinical practice is focused exclusively on working with families of children who have experienced a history of toxic stress and complex trauma.

How should we talk to our kids about scary events in the world? And what if we’re really afraid too? Robyn answers the question, “Should we fake it till you make it?”

She also gives tips for calming ourselves and gives us a great example of how to help kids process traumatic events.

Links Relevant to this episode:

Robyn's website.

Robyn on Facebook.

Robyn's posts on creating a trauma story.

#25: Regulating Through Movement and Play with Robyn Gobbel

#26: What To Do When Your Child is Out of Control with Robyn Gobbel

Lisa and Melissa answer this reader question:

Do these older kids ever launch?

*If you're already on our email list, you automatically receive each week's download in our Quick Connection email.

If you’ve ever wondered how to help your child process frightening events, don’t miss this great interview with Robyn Gobbel.

Robyn is a therapist whose clinical practice is focused exclusively on working with families of children who have experienced a history of toxic stress and complex trauma.

How should we talk to our kids about scary events in the world? And what if we’re really afraid too? Robyn answers the question, “Should we fake it till you make it?”

She also gives tips for calming ourselves and gives us a great example of how to help kids process traumatic events.

Links Relevant to this episode:

Robyn's website.

Robyn on Facebook.

Robyn's posts on creating a trauma story.

Lisa and Melissa answer this reader question:

Do these older kids ever launch?

Trauma Story Resources

Grab a resources sheet from Robyn about co-creating a trauma story with your child to help him process a scary or traumatic event. As a BONUS, you will also receive a trauma story template.

*If you're already on our email list, you automatically receive each week's download in our Quick Connection email.

If your family is a blend of kids by birth and adoption/foster care, or if you had an established family created by adoption and then added new children from “hard places,” don’t miss this interview with Lisa’s daughter, Annarose.

How do siblings in the family feel, and what do they experience, when you add children to the family through adoption or foster care? What if the new children come with lots of challenges?

In this episode, Lisa interviews her daughter and middle child of eleven, Annarose, about the challenges and blessings of being a sister to kids through adoption. Annarose loves life, adventure, and Jesus. At the time of the interview, she was studying abroad in Colombia, South America.

Click here to download a transcript for this episode.

Links Relevant to this episode:

Have your children take Lisa's sibling survey here.

Giving Voice to Siblings Part 1 and Part 2.

Big Kid Date Night

What about the siblings?

Lisa and Melissa answer this reader question:

My child has more challenges than nearly any other child I know. Should I have my child tested and diagnosed?