Articles
Healing from Trauma/Neglect/Abuse
Truths Every Child Needs to Hear
When a child has experienced abuse, neglect, or loss, they often take those events into their hearts and minds and then believe things about themselves that are untrue. They frequently feel guilt or shame as if the abuse or chaotic conditions of their life are their...
Helping Kids Cope with Change
Very few humans willingly embrace change. Even the most straightforward changes can create uncertainty, and learning to handle life's ups and downs is part of normal growth and development. We handle these changes differently, influenced by our personality, life...
Helping Tweens and Teens Manage Money
When a child’s developing brain is impacted by exposure to drugs and alcohol during pregnancy, early loss, neglect, or other trauma, they may struggle to understand money. Learning the value of money and how to manage it can also be an overwhelming task for kids with...
Impacts of Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol and Drugs
Adapting Your Parenting for a Child with Prenatal Substance Exposure
Raising a grandchild or other loved one with prenatal exposure to alcohol or drugs can be a frustrating and overwhelming challenge. You might be biased, but your grandchild has incredible strengths and talents. However, figuring out how to unlock those and set this...
Tips for Helping a Baby Cope with Withdrawal from Opiates
Your new grandbaby is here, and they are beautiful. But the doctors just informed you that this baby will have a rough few weeks ahead. Their little body is going through withdrawal from exposure to opiates during pregnancy. It's normal to feel scared for this baby's...
Quick Tips to Help Save Your Sanity When Raising Kids with Prenatal Exposure
Is your grandchild (or other relative) showing signs of exposure to drugs or alcohol during pregnancy? Are their homework and school projects disorganized and always late? Do they need directions repeated frequently and slowly? Are their emotions and physical activity...
Challenging Behaviors
When a Student Refuses to Comply with School Supports – Part 2
When a child has learning challenges, they may receive special support and services through an IEP (individualized educational plan) or 505 plan. These accommodations and resources are unique to this child's learning style or struggles. They can be a combination of...
When a Student Refuses to Comply with School Supports – Part 1
When a child struggles in school, they often receive special support and services through an IEP (individualized educational plan) or 505 plan. These accommodations and resources are unique to this child's learning style or struggles. They can be a combination of...
Potty Training a Child Who Had Prenatal Substance Exposure
Potty training your young grandchild, niece, or nephew is a huge milestone in gaining independence for you all. Grandparents and relative caregivers may feel overwhelmed with where to start and how long it will take. Every child is different, and there is a wide range...
ADHD
Practical Ideas for Keeping Easily Distractible Kids on Task
Many kids struggle to stay focused and attend to tasks. As they grow and learn new organizational skills that work for them, they often grow out of their distractibility. However, struggles with organization and staying on task can typically last much longer for a...
Understanding ADHD and How to Support Your Grandchild at Home
Do you ever feel overwhelmed or confused by your grandchild's behavior? Do you wonder how to help them stay on task at home and school? It's common for kids impacted by trauma or loss to also struggle with challenging behaviors as they cope with the painful...
Tips for Raising a Child with Attention Issues
Some kids are simply more easily distracted than others. They have trouble focusing in school and at home. They may have a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or not, but you know that keeping their attention is a challenge. There are some dos...
Disrupting Birth Order
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Helping A Child Heal from Sexual Abuse
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School Issues for Foster & Kinship Kids
Being an Active Participant in Your Grandchild’s School Experience
Your grandchild has come to live with you, and it feels like everyone is finally settled into the new routine at home. You find that you have the time, energy, and interest to get involved at your relative child's school. However, you need help figuring out where to...
Helping a Disorganized Child Bring Order to their Schoolwork
Are you raising a grandchild who is struggling with school because they’re so disorganized? Does it seem like they never finish their homework and maybe can’t even tell you what their homework is? Several factors can impact the development of a child’s organizational...
Advocating for Your Grandchild at School
If you’re raising a grandchild, do you know when and how to speak up for them at school? Maybe your grandchild (or nephew or niece) struggles academically or often gets in trouble for challenging behaviors. This can make it especially hard to talk with their teachers....
Technology/Internet and Our Kids
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Self-Care for Kinship and Foster Parents
Considering Respite Care When Caring for Your Relative’s Child
Raising a child who has experienced trauma is demanding, intensive work. You are thankful to offer your home as a safe landing place for this child. However, they have challenging behaviors, sleep disruptions, or other struggles. You know you need a break but aren't...
Healthy Habits of Self-Care to Build Resilience
When raising a loved one's child, it's easy to lose yourself in this child's needs and forget to care well for yourself. You get focused on helping your grandchild succeed in school. You move things around your calendar to ensure they continue with sports or therapy....
Self-Care Is Not Selfish
Welcoming a loved one’s child into our homes is a gracious and hospitable act of support and care for their struggling family. However, we often forget that raising someone else’s child – even one related to you – can take an added toll on our hearts, minds, and...
Relationship with Child’s Parent
Keeping Your Grandchild Out of the Middle of the Relationship Between You and Their Parents
Raising a loved one’s child can be a joyful, fulfilling experience. However, it can also be riddled with tension and anxiety – for you, the child, and the parents. This child may feel stuck in the middle of the adults in their life, and that's stressful for any child....
Shared Parenting: Benefits and Tips for Success
It’s hard to raise grandchildren (or nieces or nephews) without having complicated feelings about their parents. You may be angry or disappointed with the parents’ life choices. You may feel guilty because your child has not been a good parent. You may love them...
Helping Family Visits Go Well
When raising grandchildren (or nieces or nephews), visits with their parents can feel stressful and sticky. There is a history between you and your adult child or family member. Big feelings usually come rushing up for everyone. The challenge is how to help the child...
Working Together For the Good of the Child In Your Care
Enjoying the Holidays When Raising a Relative’s Child
The holiday season is in full swing, with messages of joy, family togetherness, and bright, colorful celebrations of many different cultures and faith traditions. When raising a grandchild, nephew, or other relative child, the holiday season can be pretty stressful to...
Why Raising Your Grandchild Matters
When raising your grandchild or another loved one's child, it's easy to get lost in the weight of daily work. You are overseeing homework, monitoring screen time, holding the reins of this child’s daily schedule, and much more. However, sometimes, it helps to remember...
Building Healthy Communication with Your Tween and Teen Grandchild
It's a heavy responsibility to raise a young person who comes to your home after losing their parents or experiencing abuse and neglect. You want them to find healing and learn life skills to carry them into adulthood. You want to teach them skills to set them up for...
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This website was supported with funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families’ Children’s Bureau through the Improving Child Welfare Through Investing in Family grant #HHS-2021-ACF-ACYF-CW-1921. The purpose of this grant is to provide an array of kinship preparation services and ongoing kinship supports, and provide shared parenting to build trusting relationships between all out-of-home caregivers and parents of children/youth in foster care to ensure parents and families remain actively involved in normal child-rearing activities.
This website is supported by Grant Number 90CW1149 (HHS-2021-ACF-ACYF-CW-1921) from the Children’s Bureau within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Neither the Administration for Children and Families nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration for Children and Families and the Children’s Bureau.