Adoption Scams – How to Recognize & Prevent
What are adoption scams and how can adoptive parents recognize them and protect themselves? What can adoptive parents do to make sure that they are also being upfront and honest with expectant parents? Host Dawn Davenport, Executive Director of Creating a Family, the national adoption & foster care education and support nonprofit, interviews Deborah Phillips,…
Plan Ahead for Leaving the Hospital with Your Newborn
Leaving the hospital with your newborn is a wonderful day, but one that also needs planning ahead of time. Before even going to the hospital, you will want to take classes, gather essentials, and pack your baby hospital bag. We have compiled a list of recommendations to think about and to help you plan for…
Hot Cars are Deadly for Kids: Be Aware!
The sad fact is that anyone can accidentally leave a child behind in a car seat. A closed car can become an oven inside even on warm days. In a matter of only 10 minutes the temperature inside a car can rise 20 degrees. On a 60-degree day, the inside can rise to 110 degrees!…
June is National Safety Month – Are you prepared?
June is National Safety Month and now is a great time to review how prepared you are for the major causes of death throughout the United States. #1: Poisoning In 2011, poisonings overtook motor vehicle crashes for the first time as the leading cause of unintentional-injury-related death for all ages combined. Poisoning deaths are caused…
Older Adopted Children Sleep Problems (and How You Can Help)
Sleep problems aren’t uncommon in children, but they’re even more prevalent amongst older adopted children who’ve been through trauma. Your child may need some special considerations based on their history and background. But, the groundwork always starts with healthy sleep hygiene. From there, you can work with your child’s specific challenges to reduce anxiety and…
Water Safety and Your Home Study
The weather is getting warmer and soon it will be pool and swimming season. This is a great time for a reminder in water safety for everyone. The following are some tips and guidelines for adopters in Texas when passing their home study. Swimming pools, in-ground pools, wading pools and hot tubs must meet all…
The Crystal Angels Embryo Process
Embryo donation and receiving are miracles in the working. For those that have gone through IVF therapy, had their desired number of children, do not want to destroy the remaining embryos, donating offers is a wonderful choice that helps other families grow. For those that are unable to create viable embryos, or cannot afford IVF…
Preparing for Your Adoption Home Study
Starting on your adoption home study may seem overwhelming! It’s common to think that your home and your lives must be “picture perfect” in order to “pass” a home study. The purpose of the home study is to document your background and home life. Rather than seeking to “inspect” you and your home, your adoption…
What to Expect in Your First Phone Call with an Expectant Birth Parent
Article from Creatingafamily.org and interview of Children’s Connections by Dawn Davenport It’s important for you to be prepared for your first telephone call with an expectant birth parent since this sometimes influences their decision to match with you. As we have probably all heard, first impressions are lasting impressions. While it is an important time, it’s also…
Adoptive Parent Photobook or Profile: What to Include
Article from Creatingafamily.org and interview of Children’s Connections by Dawn Davenport Since expectant parents generally choose their adoptive parent(s) based on information and pictures provided in a photobook (also called a Parent Profile), it seems prudent to provide some feedback on what you should include and even things to exclude from your photobook/profile. Photobooks or adoptive parent profiles…
