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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,…
Read MorePlan 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…
Read MoreHot 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!…
Read MoreJune 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…
Read MoreOlder 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…
Read MoreWater 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…
Read MoreThe 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…
Read MorePreparing 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…
Read MoreWhat 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…
Read MoreAdoptive 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…
Read MoreWhat do Expectant Moms Look for in Adoptive Parents
Article from Creatingafamily.org by Dawn Davenport A spoken or unspoken fear of many prospective adoptive parents is that they are not the type of family that will be chosen by expectant mothers—or that they will have to wait a long time to be chosen. What do expectant moms look for in adoptive parents? We decided…
Read MoreSleep Time Tips
One of the biggest challenges with babies and toddlers occurs each night – babies not wanting to sleep! The following are tips to help you create a smooth transition from playtime to sleep time. Young Babies Sleep Time Tips A – Sleep Alone – Put babies to sleep alone with no other adult or child sharing the sleep surface…
Read MorePlaytime Ideas for Babies and Toddlers
Playtime is important for all children. Even very young babies enjoy playtime. Younger Babies Playtime: Mirror Play – Surprise your infant by showing her reflection in a mirror. That first time, she may not even realize that she’s looking at herself but as she gets older, she will laugh and smile just gazing at her reflection. Tickle…
Read MoreWhat are Your Goals and Dreams for 2019?
Adopt a child? Start a new career? Grow your family? Eat Healthier? What is the best way to fulfill your dreams? Set Goals! Setting goals is a process of imagining your future, and motivating yourself to turn your picture into reality. By knowing where you want to get to, you can then create steps needed…
Read MoreHoliday Travel Tips
Holiday Travel Tips Traveling with little ones can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be unpleasant. We have put together a few holiday travel tips and tricks that we learned to make traveling easier, whether you are flying or driving to your destination. #1 – Think “Easy to Pack and Carry Along” When…
Read MoreKeeping your children safe and sound on Black Friday
Keeping your children safe and sound on Black Friday The following are some tips for keeping your children safe and sound on Black Friday. o Don’t Leave Your Kids in The Car There’s no guarantee that your child is safe in a busy parking lot. So even if it’s about running just for a minute,…
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