Resources for Adoptive and Foster Parents

Foster mom of four and adoptive mom of one, April Bean, gives us her list of resources that helped her family learn how to parent foster and adopted children with trauma.

Videos

“The Happiest Baby on the Block” by Dr. Harvey Karp, gives you everything the book does. However, if you prefer reading check out the book as well.

Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development Videos are a great place to start if you are new to Trust-Based Relational Intervention.

Inside Out is an adorable movie about a girl named Rylie who is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco. Her emotions – Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness – conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house, and school. This Pixar hit helps layout the many emotions we experience as humans and how balance is key.

Books (For You)

The Connected Child by Dr. Karyn Purvis

Parenting the Hurt Child: Helping Adoptive Families Heal and Grow by Keck and Kupecky

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk

Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew by Sherrie Eldridge

I Love You Rituals by Becky Bailey

Love Me, Feed Me: The Adoptive Parent’s Guide to Ending the Worry About Weight, Picky Eating, Power Struggles and More by Katja Rowell

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown

Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control: A Love-Based Approach to Helping Attachment-Challenged Children With Severe Behaviors by Forbes and Post

Books (For Your Kids)

Maybe Days: A Book for Children in Foster Care by Wilgocki and Wright

The Redo Roo by Cindy Lee

It’s Tough to Be Gentle: A Dragon’s Tale by Cindy Lee

Every situation is different thus we encourage that you look beyond this list of resources to help guide you and your family. It is also important to plug into a community of others who are going through or who have gone through what you are. Check out our community boards for support, advice, and community.