Recognizing Bullying

Recognizing Bullying

Blog, Parenting, Therapy
With the start of a new school year, there can be worries that your child may be bullied. It’s not a thought that goes through every parent's mind, however, it’s important to be aware that there’s a possibility of bullying occurring at school. A child can be bullied at any moment no matter the circumstance. However, children who are visibly different, are part of a certain group (LGBTQ youth, a child with a disability, race, etc.) or may be socially isolated are common risk factors for a bully to begin picking on them. There is no exact reason or methodology a bully uses to choose their “victims.” Sometimes it can just be that the bully likes seeing whose buttons they can push and they will continue to push those buttons…
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LGBTQ Couples and Adoption

LGBTQ Couples and Adoption

Adoption, Blog, Motivation, Parenting, Therapy, Tips
Children can bring couples many delightful memories. They can also help the couple feel like a true and complete family. However, we must acknowledge that couples are no longer only men and women, but there are plenty of openly same sex couples who would also like to have a complete family of their own. Many LGBTQ couples want the same opportunities to adopt and have a family just as heterosexual couples. However, the route to completing their families through adoption can be extremely difficult. It can be especially difficult if the state they live in has strict laws on LGBTQ couples adopting and what state or country they are deciding to adopt their child from. Since 2010, in the Sunshine State, the ban on gay and lesbian adoption was ruled…
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Surrogacy as an Option

Surrogacy as an Option

Adoption, Blog, Motivation, Parenting, Therapy
The joys of starting a family can be challenging for some. However, there are several options that can help your dreams of having a family become reality. There are various options that you can choose from to start a family like adoption, traditional surrogacy, and gestational surrogacy. Although adoption is one of the most common routes for couples who would like to start a family, surrogacy is also a common option. The process of surrogacy depends on the type of surrogacy. As mentioned there are two primary types of surrogacy, traditional and gestational. Traditional surrogacy is when the surrogate carries the embryo and is the donor of the egg, making her the biological mother. In this case, the surrogate will be impregnated with sperm from the intended father, who will…
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The Importance of Spending Quality Time with Your Child

The Importance of Spending Quality Time with Your Child

Blog, Health, Motivation, Parenting, Tips
Spending quality time is better than just killing time with your child. Being a parent can be a challenging time. Especially if it’s your first time or if it’s been awhile since your last child. It’s hard enough when you’re worried about your child’s well-being. Whether they are eating right, getting the right amount of outside playtime, etc. But what about the time you spend with your child? What are you doing to make it memorable? Are you spending quality time with them or is it just time spent with them? It’s one thing to have them by your side all the time, making sure they aren’t getting into trouble. But that doesn’t necessarily count as quality time nor will it impact them in a positive way in the future. However,…
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From The Eyes of a Birthmother Part II

From The Eyes of a Birthmother Part II

Adoption, Blog, Parenting, Therapy
Now, I want to start off this second part taking it back. Lets go back to where my whole decision making process started. I know that there are 3 options when you become pregnant: Parenting, Adoption, or Abortion and for me I knew I wanted this baby. I was taught that life began at conception so there was no doubt this baby would come into this world. It was the coolest but most difficult thing that had ever happened to me. It was hard knowing that this was something I could not hide. If you lie or steal it’s a lot easier to hide the evidence, but a baby isn’t something easily hidden. People would eventually see a big belly on me. Now, I’d be lying if I didn’t have…
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The Secret to BEAUTIFUL Children and a BEAUTIFUL Life

The Secret to BEAUTIFUL Children and a BEAUTIFUL Life

Blog, Health, Motivation, Parenting, Therapy, Tips
Have you ever found yourself trying to think of ways to be more beautiful? You probably have. We live in a society that is obsessed with beauty, so this is a normal thought that many people experience. The question of how to become more beautiful is one that comes up time and time again and it leaves people chasing the things that they think will make them truly beautiful, such as different brands of clothing, makeup, hair care products, etc. However, are these things what really make us beautiful? The question of being beautiful is one that has been around for a long time and is not going to be going away anytime soon, as you probably know because it has most likely been a question that you’ve spent a…
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Adoption Equality: What the Numbers are Saying

Adoption Equality: What the Numbers are Saying

Adoption, Blog, Parenting, Tips
The Case for Adoption Equality [caption id="attachment_3359" align="alignright" width="368"]   Source: Family Equality Council [/caption] An estimated of 400,000 children in the U.S. have been removed from their homes and are now in foster care, wards of the state. With this many children, the main goal of the foster care system is to find each and every child a home within a reasonable amount of time. If the children’s biological parents have lost their right, finding a home is usually mandated 12-24 months from the removal date, ideally. The main goal of adoption is to find a child a home that is loving and can provide a stable environment for a child to grow up in. What is the Focus? Stability, according to the Florida state government means meeting minimum…
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The Strength of Single Mothers

The Strength of Single Mothers

Blog, Parenting, Therapy, Tips
The single mothers I have come across in my lifetime are some of the strongest women I know. I ask myself, how is it that this woman has been through more than most, and came out on the other side empowered and able to conquer everyday obstacles with patience and grace? So I decided to ask them. For the sake of their privacy, their names have been changed, so we’ll call them Tamara and Kristina. Kristina's Story      Kristina is a close family friend who married the love of her life, has three beautiful and resilient adult children, and continues to overcome residual struggles from the last 15 years of her life.      In 2001, Kristina’s husband was laid off from his job, a huge blow to both his confidence and to…
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Adapting Yourself into Single Parenthood

Blog, Parenting, Tips
Breakups takes a lot out of you. It takes all of your energy just to cope with the emotions and it takes a lot of your resources trying to reclaim your life and prepare for a future that is so different than what you imagined. Therefore it is only natural to feel overwhelmed when you are adapting into a future as a single parent. Odds are that you did not plan for this to happen, and this one question will keep coming up:"Where do I go from here? To begin, it is necessary to know that going into the realm of single parenthood means one thing: 24hrs is not enough and in the midst of all the craziness that welcomes you, here are a few important things to remember as…
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Our Children, Our Imitators

Blog, Parenting, Tips
In light of the topic of today's parenting tip, I want to bring your attention to a poem that highlights how children's development is greatly impacted by the reality that they grew up in. If they grow up only knowing one way of living that will be the only life they know. There is truth to the message carried in the poem: Children are always observing and learning from our actions even from the smallest gestures as we are their first teachers and the trusted guide to help them understand this strange world. Thus know and understand the reality that your children are living in So read this poem, let it marinade, and share it. Children Learn What They Live By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D If children live with criticism,…
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