June 20, 2016
by Maralee
Comments Off on Podcast Interview with The Forgotten Initiative
It was so fun to be able to talk to Jami from The Forgotten Initiative face-to-face (via technology) for the first time through this interview. Our families have lots in common (large multiracial families through biology, international adoption, and foster … Continue reading
June 13, 2016
by Maralee
Comments Off on What Your Foster Kids Can’t Do
When it comes to parenting, I think realistic expectations are an important part of maintaining your sanity. This is doubly true for foster parenting. Foster parents may have expectations of what their foster kid can do that put an unfair … Continue reading
May 13, 2016
by Maralee
3 Comments
Yesterday I was driving my six kids to a foster parent training class when one of my children said, “I want to see that Kung Fu Panda movie. The one where he finds his REAL dad.” I felt my stomach … Continue reading
April 4, 2016
by Maralee
Comments Off on Before You Give up on Hospitality
I stink at hostessing. It is not my gift. This has been clear to me for a long time because I grew up in the home of an incredible hostess. My mom loves hospitality and takes such joy in entertaining. … Continue reading
February 12, 2016
by Maralee
1 Comment
I remember the moment. The four of us were all sitting on the kitchen counters eating cereal at ten p.m. (or it might have been ice-cream. . . we were young and stressed) debriefing about the events of the day. … Continue reading
February 5, 2016
by Maralee
1 Comment
Foster care is tricky business. There are a thousand potential pitfalls as you work to navigate relationships between you and the biological family, you and the child, you and the child’s team, and as you seek to support a relationship … Continue reading
January 15, 2016
by Maralee
1 Comment
I recently wrote a post about how you should talk to your toddlers about foster care. It’s important to me that foster families are having open and honest conversations with their kids about the process and the needs of the … Continue reading
January 14, 2016
by Maralee
Comments Off on Talking to Your Toddler About Foster Care
In my family, foster care is normal. My kids have grown up in a home where caseworkers are their friends, our foster care agency is “the fun place with the ducks” (there’s a pond behind the building), home studies and … Continue reading
November 12, 2015
by Maralee
Comments Off on Foster Parenting with Compassionate Curiosity
The first children who depended on me to care for them were teenage boys. As a housemom to 6 boys ages 12-18 at a group home when I was in my early twenties, I started this whole parenting thing in … Continue reading
October 19, 2015
by Maralee
4 Comments
I know there are many foster families that have been anxiously awaiting the proposed family size changes from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. And there are former foster families (like mine) that will be looking very closely … Continue reading