The Empowered Parent Podcast

There are so many places where our unmet expectations get in the way of connection with our kids. Chris, Ryan, and Kayla are joined again by Allison Highton, and they talk about these various expectations, which begin even before our kids come home.

Resources Mentioned in the Episode

• Mealtime Struggles episode

One Big Happy Home

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Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Engineered and Produced by Dallas Stacy

Even if you haven't been to an adoption and foster care conference, such as Empowered to Connect or CAFO Summit, you may have attended a seminar or one-day class that had you coming out of it thinking, "Yes! I can do this! I'm going to change the way I parent my kids!" But the excitement wears off. Motivation falters. And what are we left with?

In light of the 2018 Empowered to Connect Conference happening April 13-15, and CAFO Summit coming up in May, Chris, Ryan, and Kayla tackle these issues. We all want to start with correcting behaviors, but we'll have long-term success with connection first. Connection is the foundation for everything else to click together. The team walks through how that might look for parents, offering practical examples to get started.

Resources Mentioned in the Episode

• I Love You Rituals by Becky Bailey

One Big Happy Home: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Email | Window Decal

Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Produced by Dallas Stacy

Chris, Ryan, and Kayla are joined by Allison Highton. Allison, along with her husband Russ, is an Empowered to Connect parent trainer in New Jersey. Allison works with Miriam's Heart, a non-profit adoption ministry that radically supports families who take action on behalf of adoptive and foster children.

The group discusses various schooling options for our kids from hard places, from public to private to homeschooling.

Is your adopted or foster child in public school? You should know what an IEP is, and be your kid's biggest advocate. They also talk about being flexible on the home front after kids get home from school.

Back to School: Teachers are Important

One Big Happy Home: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Email

Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Produced by Dallas Stacy

The team discusses how playing with our kids is a great way to connect with them. Play is fun and disarming and makes us enjoy our kids as much as it makes them enjoy us. Play is the language of children but is sadly something most of us are no longer fluent in.

One Big Happy Home: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Email

Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Produced by Dallas Stacy

Chris is joined once again by Kayla and Ryan North to talk about something that can be quite irritating to all parents: sassy talk. They discuss various ways to counteract it and get our kids to a place where they can talk respectfully not just to parents, but others as well.

Baby Owl Lost Her Whoo - Cindy Lee

The Frequency and Intensity of Behavior Dictates the Frequency and Intensity of Response - S3E2

One Big Happy Home: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Email

Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Produced by Dallas Stacy

Ryan and Kayla join Chris to talk about mealtime struggles. The team discusses the typical concerns parents of adopted and foster kids see at meals: food sensory issues; eating too much; before-meal snacking; not wanting to eat what is being served, and actually getting kids to the table! They talk about setting expectations and using transitions, as well as other things that have worked in their families.

One Big Happy Home: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Email

Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Produced by Dallas Stacy

Chris talks with Ryan and Kayla about how the brain processes trauma, and how this affects our kids' relationships with us and the world at large.

• The Whole Brain Child

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Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Produced by Dallas Stacy

With all of the craziness that comes this time of year, Chris, Ryan, and Kayla talk about some ways families can simplify holiday time to reduce stress on moms, dads, and the kids. The team discusses everything from gifts to traditions, holiday travel, extended family, and more.

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Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Produced by Dallas Stacy

Chris, Ryan, and Kayla respond to a lister email asking about one-on-one/play time with their children. The team discusses things they have tried in the past and how creating an environment of felt safety changes the way their kids interact with them.

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Empowered to Connect: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Donate

One Big Happy Home | Ryan's Blog

Intro/Outro Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Engineered and Produced by Dallas Stacy

Listener Tracy writes in asking about an episode devoted to TBRI with kids under the age of 4. How do we use compromise and other tools seen in The Connected Child when our little ones don't always have the words or understanding to utilize them. Chris, Ryan, and Kayla talk about how these concepts can be put into practice for toddlers and preschoolers in our households.

I Love You Rituals - Becky Bailey

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Empowered to Connect: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Donate

One Big Happy Home | Ryan's Blog

Intro/Outro Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Engineered and Produced by Dallas Stacy