Mindful Parenting with Kelly Hamilton Part 2
In this second part of our conversation, Kelly Hamilton and I are tackling the attachment styles. Being aware and mindful of our own attachment styles and the styles of our children make a big impact on that growing connection with our child, whether they're biological or adopted. Developing your relationship with your child is a lifelong commitment and there is so much hope for reconciliation and healing, even if its hard and ugly.
Kelly is the Founder and Executive Director of “The Connected Life.” She helps people build healthy connections to God, themselves, and others. She is a speaker, trauma-informed life coach, and podcaster. She and her husband serve foster and adoptive families in their home in Kentucky. You can find all her links here!
Thank you so much for listening!
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!
Mindful Parenting with Kelly Hamilton Part 1
Welcome to the second season of Called to Love, Episode One! I am kicking off this new year and new season with an amazing four-part series with a very special guest: Kelly Hamilton.
Kelly is the Founder and Executive Director of "The Connected Life." She helps people build healthy connections to God, themselves, and others. She is a speaker, trauma-informed life coach, and podcaster. She and her husband serve foster and adoptive families in their home in Kentucky. You can find all her links here!
In this first part of our conversation, we are tackling the definition of "mindfulness" and why it is so important for our parenting, especially when it comes to adoption and foster care where kids are entering our homes with intense emotions. We have to be able to regulate and demonstrate that regulation to these kids, help them build healthy, secure attachments, and be purposeful (not reactive) in our parenting.
Thank you so much for listening!
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!
Ep 17: Accepting the Call to Foster by Nikki Hertzler
This episode features a special guest: Nikki Hertzler.
Nikki is a teacher, foster mom, and author of the book "Help! I'm a Foster Parent!" Nikki and her husband decided to accept the call to foster after becoming empty nesters, and it has been a long, hard and beautiful journey to pour into these kids and lift them up to become healthy adults.
Nikki and I talk about the reality of fostering, the challenges it can bring, but also the beauty of it, how God uses this to refine our weaknesses and depend totally on Him. Fostering is a ministry but its in our very homes. There are over 400,000 kids in the U.S. foster system, but there are over 300,000 churches. If the Church steps up in this ministry, we could possibly reach every child who needs a home and needs hope.
Accepting the call doesn't mean God asks you to become a foster parent. There are many ways to be involved from providing meals to babysitting and more. If you're wrestling with this call, know that we are strongest on our knees in prayer.
Thank you so much for listening!
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!
Ep. 16 The Fostercare Experience with Tori Hope Petersen
This episode features a special guest: Tori Hope Petersen. Tori is the best selling author of "Fostered" and is a sought after public speaker and advocate for those whose stories need to be told, such as the survivors from human trafficking, kids in foster care, and others abused and needing hope.
Tori shares her foster story with me, how she was removed from her mother not just once but twice, and went through several foster homes. Tori talks about the good and hard parts of foster care, how it shaped her, and how it brought her to Jesus. Tori's story helps us better understand the experience of foster kids and equip us better with how to approach these kids, share the love of Jesus, and model what a life of hope looks like.
Thank you so much for listening!
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!
Ep. 15 More Than Conquerors: Overcoming Anxiety with Laura Kuehn
This episode features a special guest: Laura Kuehn. Laura is founder and owner of Cornerstones for Parents, where she combines God’s word, writing, and supporting parents. She is a licensed therapist and author of More Than a Conqueror: A Christian Kid’s Guide to Winning the War on Worry.
Together, Laura and I discuss trauma behaviors and responses in children, the relationships between the body and brain, and practical ways to help calm a child before the anxiety takes over. Laura also brings up the role model Jesus presents to us for how to navigate these hard feelings which can be overwhelming.
Thank you so much for listening!
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!
Navigating the Holidays as Foster and Adoptive Families
Navigating the holidays can be overwhelming for foster and adoptive families. As parents we can feel pressure to curate magical experiences for our kids but those may not always be best. Depending on your child, many common expectations and events may be difficult for your family to take part in due to overstimulation and social anxiety.
In today's episode I discuss how to navigate the holidays as foster and adoptive families, how to safeguard from unnecessary frustrations, how to prepare extended family and friends if your family needs to pivot the plan and the reality of "trauma-versaries."
Thank you so much for listening!
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!
5 Practical Ways to Support Foster and Adoptive Families
Welcome back to Called to Love!
Closing out our highlight of Adoption Awareness for the month of November - let’s talk about 5 practical ways you can support those who are called to love in the areas of foster care and adoption.
Whether you are waiting for your child or first foster placement or in over your head and have no idea how to answer when someone offers help - today’s episode is for you!
FAVORITE TAKEAWAYS:
I have such a passion to see the big C church step in to this area of service beyond calling people to adopt - there are many practical ways they can do this
Oftentimes foster and adoption placements happen with little warning but always with much disruption to their normal rhythms of life
Check out my latest article on Christian Parenting and share this podcast with a friend!
Thanks for listening!
Conversations with an Adult Adoptee with Andrea Lennon (Part Two)
Welcome back to Called to Love!
Today we will conclude with part 2 of my conversation with adult adoptee, author, speaker and Women's Ministry Specialist, Andrea Lennon.
I pray you have been encouraged and learned much through her perspective and experience.
If you have questions or specific topics you'd like to hear covered on this show, SEND ME AN EMAIL - I'd love to hear from you!
Thanks for listening!
Conversations with an Adult Adoptee with Andrea Lennon (Part One)
Welcome back to Called to Love!
Adoptive parents, through no fault of their own, only have one side of the story and experience. Oftentimes it can be difficult to understand the struggles our adopted children experience.
Today we have the honor of hearing from Andrea Lennon. Andrea is an adult adoptee and as she will share in today’s conversation, her journey has not always been easy, but God has written her story in a beautiful way and I know she is going to bless you today in part 1 of this uplifting and informative conversation!
Andrea is the Women's Ministry Specialist for the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, speaker and author for Andrea Lennon Ministry and host of the Inspire on the Go podcast. Andrea was called to ministry as a teen and has a passion to see women experience an authentic faith walk with Jesus.
Thanks for listening!
If you are enjoying Called to Love, please leave a rating and share with your adoption community!
If you have questions or specific topics you'd like to hear covered on this show, SEND ME AN EMAIL - I'd love to hear from you!