✨Join the Adopt Together Community!✨ https://www.adoptinformed.com/community Adoptive parents, like ANY parents, make mistakes...and there are always ways we can improve. Today I'm sharing some toxic mentalities that adoptive parents can easily fall into and how we can reframe them. 📣Comment Policy📣 I created this channel as a space to encourage others. I truly believe that even if we have differing views, we can still get along and be kind. That being said, any hurtful, mean, offensive, or malicious comments will be deleted. Thanks so much for watching! -Katie

✨Join the Adopt Together Community wait list!✨ https://adoptinformed.kit.com/waitlist ✨Want to learn more about the group? Check it out here!✨ https://www.adoptinformed.com/community If I could go back to the beginning of my adoption journey, there are several things I would do differently. After years of being an adoptive parent, I’ve learned that some of the things I worried about before adoption weren’t nearly as important as I thought they would be, and some of the things I didn’t think about at all have turned out to be incredibly important. In this video, I’m sharing the things I would do differently if I were starting my adoption journey over again, especially when it comes to adopting children from foster care. I’ll talk about expectations, parenting, support, attachment, trauma, and some of the lessons I’ve learned through experience. If you’re considering adopting from foster care, preparing to adopt a waiting child, or you’re already an adoptive parent wondering if you’re doing things the “right” way, I hope my experience can help you feel more prepared and less alone. **In this video:** • Things I wish I had known before adopting • What I would do differently as an adoptive parent • Lessons I’ve learned after years of adoptive parenting • Expectations vs. reality after adoption • Things I would change about my adoption preparation • Advice for prospective adoptive parents • What I wish I had done differently when I was starting out Adoption is a lifelong journey, and there’s always more to learn. My goal with Adopt Informed is to provide honest, practical information and encouragement for foster and adoptive parents, especially families considering or navigating adoption from the U.S. foster care system. If you’re interested in foster care adoption, adoption education, trauma-informed parenting, or encouragement for adoptive families, **subscribe to Adopt Informed** for more videos. #Adoption #FosterCareAdoption #AdoptiveParents #AdoptionFromFosterCare #AdoptionJourney 📣Comment Policy📣 I created this channel as a space to encourage others. I truly believe that even if we have differing views, we can still get along and be kind. That being said, any hurtful, mean, offensive, or malicious comments will be deleted. Thanks so much for watching! -Katie

✨Join the waitlist for Adopt Together!✨ https://adoptinformed.kit.com/waitlist ✨Mentioned in this Video:✨ (Contains affiliate links that help support the channel) -Walking Pad (updated version): https://amzn.to/4w7bwf6 -Treadmill desk: https://amzn.to/4wcjAez -Clip on fan: https://amzn.to/4fYvOBt What does adoptive parenting look like several years after bringing your child home? Seven years ago, I brought my first adopted child home through the foster care system. At the time, I was focused on the challenges of becoming an adoptive parent and helping my child adjust to a new family. But seven years into this journey, I've discovered that the challenges of adoptive parenting can change dramatically over time. In this video, I’m sharing some of the struggles I’m facing now as a veteran adoptive parent...and how they are very different from the struggles I faced during those first few years. Adoption doesn't end when the adoption is finalized. As adopted children grow, their needs change, family dynamics change, and we as parents continue to learn what it means to support a child who has experienced trauma, loss, and separation. If you're a prospective adoptive parent, newly adoptive parent, or you've been parenting your adopted child for years, I hope this honest look at my experience helps you feel less alone and reminds you that it's okay for the challenges to change as your child grows. #AdoptiveParenting #AdoptionFromFosterCare #AdoptionJourney #AdoptiveParents #FosterCareAdoption #AdoptionAfterFinalization #AdoptedChildren #TraumaInformedParenting #AdoptionSupport #FosterAdoption 📣Comment Policy📣 I created this channel as a space to encourage others. I truly believe that even if we have differing views, we can still get along and be kind. That being said, any hurtful, mean, offensive, or malicious comments will be deleted. Thanks so much for watching! -Katie

When you adopt a waiting child from foster care, you usually don't meet them until you have already said "yes" to the adoption. This can feel really intimidating to prospective adoptive parents. How do you know you are a good fit for an adoptive child if you have never met? In this video, we will talk about why you can't meet your child before "yes"...and why that might not be as bad of a thing as you think. ✨Book an adoption consultation with me today!✨ adoptinformed.com 📣Comment Policy📣 I created this channel as a space to encourage others. I truly believe that even if we have differing views, we can still get along and be kind. That being said, any hurtful, mean, offensive, or malicious comments will be deleted. Thanks so much for watching! -Katie

✨Enter to win a free copy of the book "We've Been There"✨ https://adoptinformed.kit.com/susantebos **What can adoptive parents learn from listening to adoptees?** In this interview, I'm joined by author **Susan Tebos**, co-author of *We've Been There*, a powerful collection of real stories from adoptees sharing their lived experiences. Together, we discuss what it's really like to be an adoptive parent, why adoptee voices are essential in conversations about adoption, and how listening with humility can strengthen adoptive families. Susan also shares wisdom from her own journey as a seasoned adoptive parent, offering practical advice, encouragement, and insights for anyone navigating the complexities of adoption. Whether you're an adoptive parent, foster or adoptive parent, adoptee, prospective adoptive parent, or someone interested in ethical adoption and child welfare, this conversation offers thoughtful perspectives that can help deepen your understanding of the adoption experience. 📚 In this interview, we discuss: • *We've Been There* and the stories behind the book • Why adoptee perspectives matter • Challenges and joys of adoptive parenting • Practical advice for adoptive families 💬 We'd love to hear from you! What was your biggest takeaway from this conversation? Share your thoughts in the comments below. 👍 If you enjoyed this interview, please like the video, subscribe, and share it with others who are passionate about adoption, foster care, and supporting children and families. #Adoption #AdoptiveParenting #AdopteeVoices #FosterCare #AdoptionJourney #ChildWelfare #AdoptionEducation #AdoptionSupport #Adoptee #AdoptionStories Mentioned in this Video: 1. "We've Been There" by Susan TeBos: https://amzn.to/4wovkLl 2. Susan's Website: https://susantebos.com/ 3. "Primal Wound" book: https://amzn.to/4vhkEgC 4. "The Power of Showing Up" book: https://amzn.to/3QJytGF 5. "Securely Attached" book: https://amzn.to/4wu892r 6. Playful Heart Parenting: https://www.instagram.com/playfulheartparenting/?hl=en 📣Comment Policy📣 I created this channel as a space to encourage others. I truly believe that even if we have differing views, we can still get along and be kind. That being said, any hurtful, mean, offensive, or malicious comments will be deleted. Thanks so much for watching! -Katie

The foster care system impacts hundreds of thousands of children across the United States, but many people don't realize the challenges these children face every day. In this video, we're looking at some of the most surprising and heartbreaking foster care statistics, including aging out of care, reunification, adoption from foster care, and long-term outcomes for children in the child welfare system. Whether you're a foster parent, adoptive parent, social worker, child advocate, or simply interested in learning more about foster care, these statistics help tell the story behind the numbers. 💬 Which statistic surprised you the most? Let me know in the comments. ✨Are you interested in fostering or adopting from foster care? I can help! Book a consultation: ✨ adoptinformed.com Check out what Forested Families is doing to support youth aging out of foster care: https://www.forestedfamilies.org/pilot-program/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtywwMdgx74 📣Comment Policy📣 I created this channel as a space to encourage others. I truly believe that even if we have differing views, we can still get along and be kind. That being said, any hurtful, mean, offensive, or malicious comments will be deleted. Thanks so much for watching! -Katie

What is a foster care or adoption homestudy? Today we are learning all about what to expect from the home study and how to make sure yours goes as smoothly as possible. I am interviewing Olivia, a home study assessor, who shares information on the following questions: 1. What is really being assessed in the home study? 2. What are the steps of a home study? 3. What are some common misconceptions families have about the home study? 4. How important is parenting experience? 5. How important is having extended family close by? 6. What are red flags you look for? 7. What are green flags you look for? 8. How are biological children included in the process? And so many more! I know you will get so much out of this expert interview. Feel free to ask more questions in the comments. ✨Mentioned in this video:✨ 1. "Reframing Foster Care" book: https://amzn.to/4bRDpAQ 2. "Faith to Foster" book: https://amzn.to/4lDh8dq 3. "The Body Keeps the Score" book: https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0 4. The Bair Foundation: https://www.bair.org/ 📣Comment Policy📣 I created this channel as a space to encourage others. I truly believe that even if we have differing views, we can still get along and be kind. That being said, any hurtful, mean, offensive, or malicious comments will be deleted. Thanks so much for watching! -Katie

So many adoptive parents struggle with the post-adoption blues. Experiencing anxiety or depression after adopting is more common than you might think. Today I'm sharing my personal journey through post-adoption blues and the healthy (and not so healthy) ways I coped during the early days of bringing our kids home. ✨Join the Adopt Together support group! ✨ https://www.adoptinformed.com/community (Use code FIRST10 to get $10 off each month of your membership!) 📣Comment Policy📣 I created this channel as a space to encourage others. I truly believe that even if we have differing views, we can still get along and be kind. That being said, any hurtful, mean, offensive, or malicious comments will be deleted. Thanks so much for watching! -Katie

✨Do you want to join Adopt Together? Check it out here! ✨ https://www.adoptinformed.com/community