Fostering Voices Podcast

Welcome to Season 3 of the Fostering Voices Podcast! Today we talk about goals we achieved (and didn't achieve), and new goals for 2019. More importantly, we share some things that we have learned recently, and they are in the realm of how we talk to veterans, foster and adoptive parents AND kids, and so on. If we can all make a goal to be more mindful and cognizant of others, I think more of us can have an amazing new year.

Having little kids can be hard, especially during the holidays. But we discuss a few tricks and tools to help your family to enjoy the holidays! This certainly includes managing your expectations, as well as your calendar. And as always - talking about feelings, schedules, and everything in between.

Shawn Kemp, #40 of the Seattle SuperSonics, this episode is for you. Thank you for all the highlight reels of great dunks, and for entertaining us so well in the 90s. 

This is our LAST EPISODE of 2018!

We talked about some of the goals that we set earlier this year, and how we did with them. We use the model set forth by Entreleadership, and you can too! We do these at my work, and then I brought them into our home, and small group. Such a simple, yet specific way to set goals for all the key areas of your life!

The interviews with Christie Priem was referenced quite a bit, so if you still haven't check out episodes 38 and 39, so you can also be equipped to manage behaviors and thrive through this holiday season (and beyond.)

We also mentioned a podcast episode that we heard by Jen Hatmaker. She interviewed the authors of 'Boundaries', Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. Check out her blogpost on the episode here. It's full of great info about the book and the two authors. We also mentioned some points from this great book in this podcast episode. 

The main point we make is that you need to manage your own expectations for the holidays. If your kids are little, then don't overextend yourself, just to make other people happy. If you need to sit out of a few holiday activities, then just do it! Don't try to please everyone, by actually making yourself, and your immediate family, completely miserable.

Also, be sensitive to the emotions of your foster and adoptive kids. They may not be feeling the joy of the day, as they may be experiencing guilt, and/or sadness for not being with their bio families. Talk about it. Figure out a plan that works for everyone.

The (Good) Word of the Day:

"Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 

Mark 6:31 

I am reading a plan by Priscilla Shrier, and this was a verse that she talked about. The disciples were so busy that they were not able to stop to eat. Jesus was not a fan of this. He commands them to go with him, to a quiet place, and get some rest. Is there a chance that Jesus is saying the same to you?

Thanks so much for listening today!

We appreciate you so very much, and without you amazing listeners, we wold not be at episode 40!

We hope that you will take a break, and enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones.

If you Want to Connect on Social Media:

You can find me at:

Jihae Watson on Facebook

Fostering Voices on Instagram

Jihae Watson on Instagram

AND we would LOVE it if you would leave us a review on iTunes! This helps others to find our podcast so we can share these voices from the foster care and adoption community with more people!

 

Episode 39 is for you, Greg Ostertag, because you wore 39 on the Utah Jazz, and because when we first got our current foster baby, he looked like you. And then he evolved to look like Winston Churchill.

Anyway, this week is a continuation of last week's interview with Christie Priem. If you have NOT listened to episode 38 yet, please go and do that, and then come back to this one!

We are finishing up keys 4,5, and 6 to detecting developmental delays in children.

Key #4: Appropriate Sensory Processing

-Many children have different sensory needs that often go unrecognized, and we can help meet those needs to help kids be calmer, and more focused so that they can be ready to learn.

-The sensory system has 8 recognized parts:

Visual

Olfactory (smell)

Auditory (hearing)

Gustatory (tasting)

Tactile (touch)

Proprioception (input to joints, ligaments, tendons)

Vestibular (sense of where body is in space)

Time (sense of time passing)

Interoception (sense of what's going on IN the body)

-Sensory seekers are kids who have difficulty with sensory needs and are hypo-sensitive (under-reactive). They need extra sensory input.

Key #5: Appropriate Behavior

- Negative feelings about a child are a sign that the child needs more support! Because lack of skills leads to challenging behavior

3 Step Red Alert Plan for when child is in meltdown mode:

1. Safety first - make sure all children are safe. it may be easier to remove 10 children from a room than the 1 who is melting down

2. Use a catch phrase - and only one phrase, consistently: "When you're done, we will _____." Make sure it's meaningful to the child

3. Reward recovery! When the child calms themselves down, provide the fun reward that was promised and make sure to tell them how proud you are of them!

- A predictable schedule can reduce difficult behaviors by 80%! Transitions are difficult, so make sure kids know what to expect ahead of time.

- Teach skills to help kids be prepared for scenarios that will occur in the future. Give them the right words to say.

Key #6: Appropriate Communication

- If a child is having difficulty realizing that communication is necessary (sign of being unengaged) or communicating successfully, that child needs more support.

- Use more visuals! Visual schedules, class rules, choice boards, and illustrated lessons.

Contact Christie!

If you want to learn more, you can contact Christie via her

YouTube Channel!

Or via email at [email protected]

Or if you are a church and you could use a special needs curriculum to help your children understand the Bible, check out her website https://www.chirpcc.com/ (I illustrated the curriculum!)

This episode is a continuation of last week's episode with Speech Language Pathologist extraordinaire, Christie Priem. We discuss the final 2 (plus a bonus) developmental keys to spot in your children.

Episode 38 is dedicated to you - Curt Schilling, of the World Series winning Diamondbacks, with your bloody sock and all.

This week's episode features an interview with Christie Priem, an incredible Speech Language Pathologist (SLP). She is also the founder, owner, and genius mind, and loving heart behind Chirp : an online resource to make churches welcoming for those with special needs.

Christie has used this verse to guide her in the heart of her ministry: "What is the price of five sparrows - two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows." (Luke 12:6-7 NLT) . She is caring for the fragile, and often over-looked community of special needs kids, because they are of great worth to Jesus!

In this interview:

Our interview with Christie, she shares 5 Developmental Keys (plus a bonus one!) to help parents, and anyone who works with children, to recognize developmental delays, as well as so many other tools to help children to develop well. Because the interview was so rich with content, we broke it up into 2 parts. So today is part one! And it ends kind of abruptly, because there is no outro/closing statement. But come back next week for the final 2 keys plus the bonus.

Developmental Key #1 is Self Regulation.

Developmental Key #2 is Engagement.

Developmental Key #3 is Enjoyable and Flexible Play.

The (Good) Word of the Day

He cared for them with a true heart and led them with skillful hands.

Psalm 78:72 We love this verse that Christie shared with us. David led his army with a true heart AND skillful hands, and as parents and leaders, we need to do the same. Sometimes we will make mistakes, but if our hearts are truly in the right place, AND we are trying our best to continually learn, and to have skillful hands, our children will benefit greatly from that.

This week is Thanksgiving week and we are so thankful for all of you listeners! We hope you had a delicious and restful week.

To find our more about Christie:

Special Needs Channel on YouTube

[email protected]

If you Want to Connect on Social Media:

You can find me at:

Jihae Watson on Facebook

Fostering Voices on Instagram

Jihae Watson on Instagram

AND we would LOVE it if you would leave us a review on iTunes! This helps others to find our podcast so we can share these voices from the foster care and adoption community with more people!

Our interview with Christie, she shares 5 Developmental Keys (plus a bonus one!) to help parents, and anyone who works with children, to recognize developmental delays, as well as so many other tools to help children to develop well. Because the interview was so rich with content, we broke it up into 2 parts. So today is part one!

Episode 37 is dedicated to Rodney Harrison of the New England Patriots (Reggie knew that off the top of his head), and Metta World Peace, aka Ron Artest.

Random fact:

'Metta' means loving kindness and friendliness towards all, and is a traditional Buddhist word.

He chose this name 'to inspire and bring youth together all around the world." So special.

Important facts about Reggie and DCS:

- Reggie actually entered the world and entered the DCS (then CPS) system. He lived with his mom until he was 7, and then he was able to be raised by his older sister and her husband. Reggie is the 8th of 10 kids.

- CPS means Child Protective Services, and DCS is Department of Child Safety

- Having worked at DCS since 2010, Reggie has done every kind of job there: investigations, high profile cases, mentoring, supervision, and now he is a data technician as well as office notary. He loves this new position because he gets to support case managers and supervisors

Some Promising Foster Care Stats in Arizona:

- in May 2017, the backlog of 16,000 uninvestigated reports were officially cleared

- in August 2017, Arizona launched a new mobile app to better serve children and families in the field

- over the last two years, Arizona safely decreased its foster care population by 24% as the national average increased by 4%

- Maricopa County has about 2100 open reports, 277 of those reports have been open for more than 60 days. They are working hard to close more reports, with more efficiency and speed.

What Does the State and the Foster Kids Need?

- More Foster Families! so that kids do not need to live in group homes, or shelters. There are kids living in homeless shelters! Let's all work together to change this.

The (Good) Word of the Day:

"When you are in a difficult place, realize that the Lord either placed you there, or allowed you to be there, for reasons perhaps known only to Himself. So do not just go through this, Grow through this."

- Red Sea Rules by Robert J. Morgan.

Reggie! (And Shamesha, for watching allt he boys at home and letting Reggie come over to record with us at 8 pm on a Wednesday night) Thank you for your time on the podcast, but thanks especially for your time with DCS, serving the kids in care, by working so hard at your job!

If you Want to Connect on Social Media:

You can find me at:

Jihae Watson on Facebook

Fostering Voices on Instagram

Jihae Watson on Instagram

AND we would LOVE it if you would leave us a review on iTunes! This helps others to find our podcast so we can share these voices from the foster care and adoption community with more people!

This week we have an interview with Reggie Sheffield, who has worked with the Department of Child Safety for the last 8 years. He shares some wins that Arizona's foster care system has seen in recent years, as well as the hard parts of his job.

Shaquille O'Neal wore number 36 when he was a newbie basketball player on the Orlando Magic. We love Shaq, especially when he was a Phoenix Suns for a brief moment in time. He wore 32 then, and he promised he would bring a championship to Phoenix. We are still waiting...

This week we talk briefly about three tips for people who are thinking of embarking on their foster care journey, or have just commenced.

Knowledge is Power.

Whether that's knowing the reunification rates in your state, or knowing other foster families, or knowing as much as you can about what you are getting yourself into. Knowledge is truly going to be a good friend throughout your foster care journey.

Compassion for your Spouse.

Whether you are the driving force of the desire to be involved in foster care, or you are the one who is at home with the kids for most of the day, this is a very necessary step in being success.

This isn't the End.

Sometimes people are reluctant to start the journey of foster care, because they think that means it's the end of them, their hobbies, and even careers. Yes, there are seasons where you do have to put things on hold, but not everything for always!

Being at Showit United this last week, a conference for photographers that my work puts on every year, was a great reminder of this. I ran into Rilie Norton (from episode 25), Jaclyn Raymond (who will be on in the future!), Chad DiBlasio (who is getting licensed as a foster parent, and has taken in his teenage niece), and the Robinsons (of Anchor and Veil), and these are all photographers and entrepreneurs who are killing it in business and in being involved in the lives of children in need.

So I hope this reminds you that though foster care can be hard, it is still amazing!

The (Good) Word of the Day:

"if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully."

-Romans 12:8

We can all do so much, what have you been called to do???

Connect on Social Media:

If you want to connect on Social Media, you can find me at:

Jihae Watson on Facebook

Fostering Voices on Instagram

Jihae Watson on Instagram

AND we would LOVE it if you would leave us a review on iTunes! This helps others to find our podcast so we can share these voices from the foster care and adoption community!