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Category: Parenting

Challenge. Nurture. Repeat.

Dr. Crystal Krueger March 7, 2022 No Comments

Several years ago, I was walking through the primate exhibit at the zoo when a baby monkey caught my eye.  If you ever want to get my attention quickly, put a baby anything within my view and I will be captivated.  So, there I was oooing and aaaaing over this cute little animal.  As I was watching the baby monkey, I couldn’t help but notice something happening between the mother monkey and the baby.  Let me see if I can paint this picture. At initial glance, they mother and infant were cozied up together with the baby clinging to the

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ACEs and Resiliency in Kids

Amanda Tallman March 2, 2022 No Comments

Ever wonder what ACEs stands for and why it is important to understand? According to the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center, ACEs stands for Adverse Childhood Experiences and was one of the largest studies done on the impact of childhood abuse and neglect on health and well-being later in life. The original ACE study was conducted at Kaiser Permanente from 1995-1997 and included two waves of data collection. More than 17,000 people participated in physical exams and confidential surveys regarding their childhood experiences, current health status, and behaviors. The ACE survey consisted of ten questions. You can find the

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How to Stay Connected to Your Kids Post Romantic Relationship

Kashmir Frank, LMFT February 21, 2022 No Comments

            After a separation or divorce, relationships can be difficult. We may find ourselves separating from our children by getting lost in things like work or even lost in new dating experiences.  However, this is a crucial time to show to your kiddos that love still exists, relationships are good, and each should still be celebrated!             I feel one of the most innocent and amazing things about kiddos is their ability to love unconditionally and have all the hope in the world.  That is something we should be fostering intentionally so we are not hurting their ability to love

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Managing My Child’s Behaviors Started with Me

Amanda Tallman January 24, 2022 No Comments

In the fall of 2016, my husband and I became licensed foster parents. Everyone told us we would get a nice “honeymoon phase,” before behaviors escalated with the kids who came into our home. I was caught off guard when we did not experience the “honeymoon phase.” I felt unprepared and overwhelmed. I began to question if I actually knew what I was doing. The information from all the classes I had taken seemed to disappear. “How will we ever get through this?” My husband and I would question. Start with Self Care             Managing behaviors comes with practical skills

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Behavior is Communication

Dr. Crystal Krueger January 19, 2022 No Comments

As I prepare for our upcoming training “The Handbook You Wish Your Child Came With,” I can’t help but feel the excitement to share with you the lessons I have learned about children over the past nine years as a therapist.  It seems to be an innumerable number of times I have heard parents say: I really, really wish my kiddo came with a handbook!   Learning and Training Trust me, I have that same feeling too, like when we decided to get a puppy. I learned a ton in the three weeks that we had him.  For me, it

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12 Ways to Help Your Child Stay Calm

Dr. Crystal Krueger December 12, 2021 No Comments

There are so many wonderful things about this time of year—family tradition, gifts, spending time with people we love. This wonderful time of year can also bring on big feelings that are not so good. It can be the jam-packed social calendar, deadlines at school or work, the loss of a loved one, or all of the above. Just as parent stress increases due to lack of time, financial pressure, gift-giving, and family gatherings, kid stress can increase as well. The greatest gift we can give our kids, though, is the gift of being able to calm themselves when they

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Grateful for the Hard Things

Dr. Crystal Krueger November 24, 2021 No Comments

One of my favorite things to do as an adoptive parent is talk about those taboo topics that we aren’t “allowed” to discuss with the general public, because… well, a lot of people just don’t get it.  How the systems are taxing and the people are exhausting.  Those are the conversation most people understand.  But it becomes uncomfortable when we start talking about the challenges that come along with parenting children who are adopted.  Many people want to paint this picture that adoption is easy.  Can it be rewarding?  Yes.  Is it easy? No.  It’s Hard And it’s hard.  It

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Opening the Door for Communication

Kashmir Frank, LMFT November 18, 2021 No Comments

I want to talk about something that is very near and dear to my heart- communicating with a kiddo that is a foster or adopted child.  I’m sure that we can all agree that communication in general is very important.  It’s a skill that is ever growing and that we all struggle with sometimes.  I find a lot of my parents, even in my own family, struggle with communication with their children.  We forget how important it is and get frustrated at times.  I think that’s pretty normal.  When it comes to foster and adopted children communication really is key. 

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Adoption: Why Traditional Parenting Doesn’t Work

Dr. Crystal Krueger November 12, 2021 No Comments

When my (adopted) son was about four years old, he brought me a picture he had drawn of himself, my husband, and me.  You know those super, sweet pictures kids draw of people that are really just a circle with limbs sticking out?  That’s the kind.  This memory stands out because it was pivotal moment for my husband and I.  I wish I could say it was the moment we know he felt belonging in our family.  The moment we knew he felt loved.  The moment we knew… we had done a good job parenting him, basically.  This really was

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Parenting: Learn. Practice. Repeat.

Dr. Crystal Krueger August 9, 2021 No Comments

Over the past several months, our family has really come to enjoy The Great British Baking Show.  We’ve recently taken to baking pasties with flakey pastry and are looking forward to delving into babka in the near future.  The show has been both entertaining and inspiring. The participants in this competition must show both knowledge and skill in baking.  They are judged on their technical skill in both recipes they are familiar with and those they are not.  And the producers have just the right way of creating anticipation and excitement in the viewers.  Can the bakers get it just

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