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Wonderful, Marvelous, and Simply Terrific!
A long time friend of mine once posted the following sentiment on Facebook: “If you can find a reason to use words like outstanding, spectacular, terrific, and superb throughout your day, you will find yourself happier than you might have thought you were.” At the...
You’ve Gotta MAKE It Happen!
It's been a WILD couple of weeks weather wise on my part of the planet. We've gone from warm and dry, to a dumping and a half of snow (2.5 feet...well past my knees…and all of it coming since Christmas Day), to bitter cold (-20 F) daytime temps, freezing rain, to now...
How Do I Find the Right Help?
One of the first things we were blindsided by when we adopted our kids was the marked lack of professional help that actually exists out there in the world for issues related to developmental trauma. We had read all the books, we did all the research, we knew what to...
Redefining Hope
Hope. It's just a simple little word, right? Yes, indeed, it is a simple little word with a whole lot of loaded meaning. To some it means everything and to others it has become a true four-letter word that triggers anxiety rather than peace. Personally, I think hope...
RAD vs. Developmental Trauma
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet." -- William Shakespeare Ok, ok…so when we’re talking about things like RAD, Attachment Disorder and Developmental Trauma, Shakespeare’s famous quote should probably read something...
Taming the Halloween Triggers
Figuring out how to safely navigate the Halloween season with our traumatized kids has not been an easy task at our house. In fact, it took several years before we actually got it right. Our first step was figuring out why they always went bonkers around Halloween....
Skipping Halloween
One of the hardest...but also most important lessons I've learned as a mom of traumatized kids is that sometimes (fairly often, actually) we need do to things differently in order to make them work for our family. Others may not get it and they may even have some...
Halloween Costume Triggers
Halloween used to be the absolute WORST time of year for our family. Everywhere we turned there were reminders of trauma. There is no escaping them, especially at this time of year. They are in the schools, the stores, the neighbor’s yards, and all too often they even...
Why Halloween and Trauma Don’t Mix
Ahhh...It’s that time of year again! The kids are finally settled back in school, there's a delightful chill in the air, the trees are changing colors, and pumpkin spice is all the rage. Yet, seemingly without warning, the kids going absolutely bonkers! Behavior...
Child’s Information Sharing Packet Template
Without any question whatsoever, one of the most frustrating things I have experienced in parenting my kids who had a rough start in life is trying to help others on the outside understand just how complex and comprehensive the affects of early trauma exposure really...
5 Essential Parenting Strategies for Summer Success
All, Summer can be a challenging time for parents. This is especially true for parents whose children struggle with intense emotional and behavior challenges. Unfortunately, because of the unique nature of these issues, we can't do things the same way other families...
The Importance of Play
Playtime used to be fun. When my daughter was born, play came quite naturally for both of us. It was a joyous thing and we played together all the time. Knowing what I know now, it was a critical piece of our bonding and attachment. As she got a little older and was...
Is it Fair to Compare?
‘Tis the season. Social media is currently bombarded with pictures of prom, graduations, and celebrations. Additionally, there are still tributes to moms floating around, gratitudes and simple gifts, sports accomplishments, school awards, and scholarships. All of...
Are you content to stay where you are?
Are you content to stay where you are? Stop! You've seen that question at least twice now. Don't just gloss over it. Take a good, hard, honest look at it. Do you love the life you are living? Do you like the people you live with? Are you satisfied with the direction...
Educating the Educators About Invisible Mental Illness
Of all the crazy things we've experienced over the years in parenting our kids who had a rough start in life, by far the most frustrating has been educating the schools about how complex and serious early childhood exposure to trauma really is. It isn’t just an “at...
You Were Right
As I reviewed one of my old blogs this morning, I came across the most emotionally charged post I have ever written. I wrote it about 3 weeks after we returned to the United States after adopting our kids. Though it is quite possibly the shortest post I've ever...
Feeling Stuck in the Muck?
Are you feeling bogged down, all alone in the middle of nowhere, and hopelessly stuck in a swamp of sticky mud? If so, you are definitely not alone. I've been there myself. In fact, I think most of us who have lived this life of parenting tough kids have been there...
Regarding Survival and Serenity
sur·viv·al - /sərˈvīvəl/ Noun: The state or fact of continuing to live or exist, typically in spite of an accident, ordeal, or difficult circumstances. / An object or practice that has continued to exist from an earlier time. Survival is a good thing, right? It sounds...
Change Isn’t Always a Bad Thing
They say the only constant in life is change. We all know change is going to happen eventually. We all know that nothing can stay the same forever. Yet it seems to be human nature to fear that inevitable change. Rather than embracing if for what it...
I’ve Moved!
Welcome to my new pad! I'm glad you've found me! My previous blog, From Survival to Serenity has moved! It is now part of my new website and my new adventure in life. I will leave a forwarding address post on my old blog for a little while just so all my...
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