Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast! 

In this episode, I am joined by Susan TeBos, an author and adoptive mom to three now-grown children. Susan shares her experiences and insights on parenting adopted teenagers, focusing on the unique challenges they face as they process loss and identity. She emphasizes the importance of creating safe spaces for emotional expression, recognizing warning signs, and building trust through consistent communication. Our discussion highlights the need for adoptive parents to be patient and understanding as their children navigate their feelings and experiences related to adoption.

There is a myth that if you adopt a child straight when they are born, take them home from the hospital, that somehow there is no trauma or loss. This isn’t true, and I have first hand experience with it. Our kids may exhibit the trauma in different ways or at different stages of life, but there is trauma due to the loss of one’s biological roots. Susan described her kids as being “fun and playful” during their younger years, but showed more of those signs of trauma as they entered puberty. 

I hope that through this episode, you will be more equipped to support your adoptive or foster kids, even if they haven’t entered their teenage-years yet. 

Here are a few takeaways from our conversation: 

• Adopted teens process loss in unique ways.
• Curiosity can lead to clarity and compassion in parenting.
• Consistency in communication builds trust with teens.
• Parents should recognize warning signs of emotional distress.
• It's important to check in with teens regularly about their feelings.
• Adoptees often feel alone in their experiences and emotions.
• Grieving is a process that should be shared with parents.
• Parenting adopted children is a lifelong commitment.
• Understanding adoption-related issues is essential for emotional support.

Connect with Susan TeBos on Facebook or Instagram 

You can also check out her website and her book, “We've Been There: True Stories, Surprising Insights, and Aha Moments for Adopted Teens” 

You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I'd love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!