Best Raising Relative Children Podcasts (2025)

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How People of Faith Can Support Vulnerable Kids and Families 56:57

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2d ago56:57

56:57

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. How can we get people of faith more involved in helping vulnerable kids and families and supporting foster and kinship families? Join our discussion with Jason Johnson and Shmuly Yanklowitz. Pastor Johnson is with The Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) and is both a foster and ad…

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How Do I Handle Shocking Information My Child Shares With Me? - Weekend Wisdom 8:01

6d ago8:01

8:01

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: I want to know how I can help my child/foster, or adoptee with issues that arise out of the blue. There are things that happen that you’re not aware of, and it just shocks you and throws you off. As an adult, it’s hard to know how to handle some of these things because you…

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Understanding Adoption: Voices From All Sides 47:17

9d ago47:17

47:17

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Join us to discuss how adoption looks and feels from all sides of the adoption triad. Our guests will be the authors Sara Easterly, Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Lori Holden of their book, Adoption Unfiltered. In this episode, we discuss: Adoptee Perspective: 23 adoptees contribu…

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How to Talk with Young Kids about Adoption - Weekend Wisdom 10:22

13d ago10:22

10:22

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: My wife and I adopted a newborn baby almost 3 years ago and we could not be happier. Now that he is getting a little older, he is talking and starting to understand things. My question is how can we best normalize his adoption with him? I know it is better for kids to grow…

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The Adoption Home Study: Should You Be Nervous? 54:56

16d ago54:56

54:56

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Many prospective adoptive families feel anxious about the home study. Our guest, Sheila Kowit, is an adoption social worker with Adoptions From the Heart. She prepares home studies for both domestic infant and international adoptions. She explains what the process is like, what you …

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Birthparents and Agency Lied About Drug Use - Weekend Wisdom 9:52

20d ago9:52

9:52

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: My husband and I had a swift match and placement in December. When we were presented with the case, all that was reported for drug use was smoking 12 cigarettes a day. After about a month of trying to get medical records from the hospital for my pediatrician, I discovered …

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Raising a Biracial Child 53:29

23d ago53:29

53:29

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you raising a mixed-race child? Join our conversation with Nicole Doyley, a biracial woman raising biracial kids, and the author of What About the Children: 5 Values for Multiracial Families. Terminology: what is preferred-biracial, mixed race, multi-racial, mixed? Biracial incl…

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Attachment Dance - Weekend Wisdom 10:11

27d ago10:11

10:11

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: For three months now, we’ve been fostering our 17-year-old son, with the intention of adopting. My question is regarding attachment. How can you tell if the child is setting up boundaries or testing you to see how hard you’ll pursue/run after them? Resources: Creating and …

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How to Engage Kinship Caregivers 46:16

1M ago46:16

46:16

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you a professional working with kinship caregivers? You need to listen to this interview with Dr. Tyreasa Washington, is a nationally and internationally recognized scholar specializing in kinship care families (e.g., grandparents raising grandchildren). She is a Distinguished S…

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Dealing with a Long Wait When Adopting - Weekend Wisdom 9:43

1M ago9:43

9:43

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: How can prospective parents manage their thoughts and emotions while waiting to be matched with a child (especially in cases where the waiting period is a long one)? Resources: Suggested Books for Adoption Coping Mechanisms for the Waiting (Article) Creating a Family Onlin…

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Evaluating Risk Factors in Foster Care Adoption 51:50

1M ago51:50

51:50

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you considering adopting from foster care or becoming a foster parent? Join us to discuss this topic with Dr. Lindsay Terrell, a pediatrician and Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Duke University Medical Center, as well as the Clinical Director of their Fost…

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What the Heck is Happening with the Adoption Tax Credit? - Weekend Wisdom 4:13

1M ago4:13

4:13

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: On the 2025 Adoption Tax Credit Episode, it was mentioned that they thought this would possibly be the year it becomes refundable. Does that only apply to finalizations in 2025, or will it make previous adoptions (if within the 5-year tax credit range) refundable too? For …

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What's It Like When Your Parents Decide to Foster 54:00

1M ago54:00

54:00

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you considering fostering but are concerned about how it impacts the kids already living in your home? Join us for a conversation with Michelle Snyder, a foster, adoptive, and bio mom, and her son, Ben, to hear their stories of fostering and how it impacted their family. They ar…

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De-escalation in the Heat of the Moment - Weekend Wisdom 12:15

2M ago12:15

12:15

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: How do I respond in the moment when my child is melting down, including physical or verbal aggression? Resources: Practical Tips to Help Your Kids Manage Stress The Ideal Response: How to Maintain Connection When Correcting Your Child How to Maintain Connection When Your C…

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Embryo Donation / Embryo Adoption 58:27

2M ago58:27

58:27

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Have you thought about adopting a baby, but long for the experience of being pregnant, or want to control the intrauterine environment? Join us for this fascinating discussion about embryo donation/adoption with Dr. Craig Sweet with Embryo Donation International, Mark Mellinger with…

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Will I Get to Choose the Name of My Adopted Baby? - Weekend Wisdom 5:14

2M ago5:14

5:14

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: Is it important to keep a young child or baby’s birth-given name? How often, if ever, do expectant mothers let adopting parents name the baby in private adoptions? Resources: Understanding the Birth Parent's Experience Open Adoption Creating a Family Online Facebook Suppor…

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Raising Kids for a Lifelong Parent/Child Bond 57:36

2M ago57:36

57:36

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Do you want to raise kids who you will like and want to hang out with as adults? Listen to this interview with Dr. Ginsburg, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and professor of pediatrics at U Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine. He is the author of Lighthouse Pare…

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Who Should We Tell About a Match With an Expectant Mom? - Weekend Wisdom 7:25

2M ago7:25

7:25

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: My husband and I started the adoption process a few months ago and we just matched with an expectant mom. We are obviously excited, but we also know that a lot can happen or change between now and her due date. My question is two fold. (1) Although a lot of people in our l…

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Parenting Kids with Prenatal Exposure 57:10

2M ago57:10

57:10

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Do you suspect (or know) that your child was exposed to alcohol or drugs during pregnancy? We discuss tips for how to best work with these children with Dr. Robin Gurwitch, a professor at Duke University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Center for Child and…

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Is It Harder for Singles to Adopt? - Weekend Wisdom 4:32

2M ago4:32

4:32

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: Hello, I am a single parent by choice and a hopeful adoptive parent. I've been working with an agency and waiting to be matched for a domestic infant adoption since this summer, and I haven't had much luck. I'm starting to wonder if expectant parents think single parents a…

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Impact of Prenatal Exposure to Opioids and Opioid-Use Treatment Medications 46:32

2M ago46:32

46:32

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you considering adopting or fostering a child who was exposed prenatally to opioids or opioid-use treatment medication, such as Buprenorphine, methadone, and Suboxone? Are you a grandparent or aunt raising a child who was exposed? Join our discussion with Dr. Jennifer McAllister…

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Both My Parents Were Transracially Adopted - Weekend Wisdom 5:57

3M ago5:57

5:57

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: Can you talk about how being transracially adopted effects how adoptee’s children were raised? Both of my parents were transracially adopted and I don’t feel like there’s anyone else who can share this unique experience and I just want to understand better. Resources: Gene…

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Taming Sibling Squabbles 55:19

3M ago55:19

55:19

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Do your kids fight? Does it drive you crazy. Join us to learn some helpful tips for handling sibling rivalry and fighting. Our guest is Dr. Laura Markham, a clinical psychologist and author of several books, including Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids and Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings: …

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Trauma and the Teen Years 11:30

3M ago11:30

11:30

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: I wish I had known what to expect when a child with trauma hit the teen years. Maybe a book suggestion of what to expect or resources on what may show up and how to handle it. Puberty and the teen years have hit our family HARD. I also notice other families with adopted ch…

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Partnering With Relatives for Kinship Care 52:55

3M ago52:55

52:55

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Why is kinship care important, and what are some of the challenges? Our guests are Gregory Jones, a granddad raising five grandkids from birth to now ranging in age from 9 to 12; Ana Beltran, an attorney, and director of the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Techni…

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What Do I Call My Child's Birth Mother? - Weekend Wisdom 6:34

3M ago6:34

6:34

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: My husband and I are in the process of growing our family through adoption. It would be a domestic infant adoption, and we are hoping to cultivate a long-term relationship with the future baby’s birth family. I noticed that whenever I feel hesitation when thinking about op…

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When Birth Parents Struggle with Addiction, Mental Health, or Intellectual Disabilities 51:35

3M ago51:35

51:35

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are your child's birth parents struggling with addiction, mental illness, or intellectual disability? If so, join us for this discussion with Teresa Bradley, a psychotherapist with over 17 years of experience in addiction counseling and mental health. She is a Master Addiction Couns…

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When Do I Tell My Child They Have Birth Siblings? - Weekend Wisdom 5:23

3M ago5:23

5:23

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. I have been listening to your podcast and supporting your mission for several years. We adopted our daughter at birth through an open adoption. We began caring for her on day two; she is now 9 years old. She knows she is adopted and has seen photos of her biological parents. Her par…

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Adopting Siblings: Issues to Consider 50:24

3M ago50:24

50:24

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you considering adopting a sibling group? Join us for this interview with Deborah Bass Artis, MSW and Senior Program Director of Foster Care to Permanency with Children’s Home Society of NC. In this episode, we discuss: Why is it important to keep siblings together when placed f…

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My Child Tells Others We Aren't Meeting Her Basic Needs - Weekend Wisdom 7:33

3M ago7:33

7:33

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: I have a daughter who has dealt with trauma from consistent experiences of neglect and abandonment. While our home is loving and supportive, she continues to exhibit a victim mentality and has a hard time taking responsibility for her actions. She's a sweet girl, but she m…

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Help, I Don't Think I Can Continue With This Adoption! 44:32

4M ago44:32

44:32

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you really struggling with your adoption and feeling you've made a huge mistake? Listen to this interview with Lindsay Lanham, MSW. She works at Holt International and is the author of the online article “Predictors of Adoption Disruption and Dissolution: A Literature Review.” I…

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Coping with Stillbirth After Adoption Match - Weekend Wisdom 7:00

4M ago7:00

7:00

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: I've been an adoption social worker for almost seven years and just experienced my 2nd situation where the birth mother in a match had a stillbirth after selecting a family through our agency. Both situations were such a difficult loss for both parties. I'm curious if you'…

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Evaluating Risk Factors in Domestic Adoption 1:04:46

4M ago1:04:46

1:04:46

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you thinking about adopting a baby? Are you worried about what risk factors exist that you should know about? Join us to talk about these issues with Dr. Lindsay Terrell, a pediatrician at Duke University Medical Center and an Assistant Professor in their Department of Pediatric…

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How to Connect with Birth Mom with Mental Illness? - Weekend Wisdom 11:12

4M ago11:12

11:12

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: I've been listening to your podcast for a few years! Our 10-year-old kinship adopted daughter has lived with us since she was 2 months old. For a variety of reasons, there hasn't been any in-person visits or phone calls with her birth mom (my sister). Communication has bee…

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Courage & Resilience: A Foster Child's Story of Success 52:50

4M ago52:50

52:50

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. How do some kids survive a life of poverty, homelessness, abuse, and foster care and eventually thrive? We talk about courage & resilience with David Ambroz who is a national poverty and child welfare expert and advocate and the author of the memoir, A Place Called Home. He was reco…

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Can a Non-Native Family Adopt an Indian Child? - Weekend Wisdom 5:19

4M ago5:19

5:19

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: This was a question from someone in South Dakota. She says, "I haven't listened to all your back episodes, but can you address ICWA, the Indian Child Welfare Act, as it pertains to adoption? I live in a state where the majority of children in foster care are Native America…

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Legal Process of Domestic Adoption: What You Need to Know Before You Adopt 54:08

4M ago54:08

54:08

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you considering adopting a baby? To understand what is involved legally, listen to this podcast with James Fletcher Thompson, a South Carolina attorney with extensive experience in adoption. In this episode, we discuss: What are some of the differences in domestic infant adoptio…

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Should We Move to Another Country and Leave Our Extended Family? - Weekend Wisdom 6:29

4M ago6:29

6:29

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: My husband and I have two adopted twin boys who are 8 months old, and we've had them since birth. We've been on the fence for years about a big move outside of the country, but we're currently leaning towards leaving. My husband and, by extension, our kids have dual nation…

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Adopting Older Children 53:17

5M ago53:17

53:17

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you considering adopting a child over the age of 5? Join our discussion with Dr. Stephanie Bosco-Ruggiero. She has a PhD in Social Work from Fordham University and is co-author of the book Adopting Older Children: A Practical Guide to Adopting and Parenting Children Over Age Fou…

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We Want to Adopt, but My Father-in-Law Has Terminal Cancer - Weekend Wisdom 3:24

5M ago3:24

3:24

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: My father-in-law was just diagnosed with terminal cancer and given a maximum of 6 months left to live. We learned this right before our home study for older child/foster care adoption was finalized. Do you have any advice for what we should do with our adoption process mov…

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Adopting or Fostering a Child with Down Syndrome 46:03

5M ago46:03

46:03

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you considering adopting or fostering a child with Down Syndrome? Join our conversation with Dr. Sara Williams, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. She provides developmental evaluations and follow-up care for children with a…

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My Foster Son Was Put In a Dog Pen. How Do I Help Him Heal? - Weekend Wisdom 8:49

5M ago8:49

8:49

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: My 4-year-old foster son moved in 9 months ago. He will likely remain with me permanently, and the application is in progress. I was his 5th foster home when he moved in. There was neglect at his birth parents and abuse in a previous foster home. Last weekend he was being …

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What Foster Care Alumni Want You to Know 44:51

5M ago44:51

44:51

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Join our panel of four former foster youth to learn what they wished foster parents and others knew about being in foster care. In this episode, we discuss: Tell us the story of your involvement with foster care and the child welfare system. What was something that your foster paren…

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How to Balance Giving Kids Structure and Control - Weekend Wisdom 3:58

5M ago3:58

3:58

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: First, I wanted to thank you for your incredible podcast. I’m not a parent (I only recently graduated from college), but I have volunteered in group homes for foster care children for the past couple of years. Your podcast has not only helped me to work more effectively wi…

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Adoption Tax Credit 2024 50:08

5M ago50:08

50:08

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. If you are adopting or have adopted within the last several years you should join our conversation today about claiming the Adoption Tax Credit for 2024. Our guests will be Becky Wilmoth, an Enrolled Agent and Adoption Tax Credit Specialist with Bill’s Tax Service; and Josh Kroll, t…

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Should We Adopt Again? - Weekend Wisdom 5:41

5M ago5:41

5:41

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: My husband and I adopted our now seven-year-old son from South Africa two years ago. He is the best. We cannot believe how lucky we are to have this joyful little boy in our family, and we owe much of our success to what we've learned from your show and resources, so thank…

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How to Adopt in 2025 51:03

5M ago51:03

51:03

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Are you considering adopting a child this year? We've got answers to all (or most) of your questions. Join our discussion with Teresa Bernu, the Executive Director at Adoption Center of Illinois. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has worked extensively in the areas of dom…

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Should I Foster a Younger Child or Teen First? - Weekend Wisdom 4:35

6M ago4:35

4:35

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: My husband and I are licensed to foster/adopt, but there have been no placements yet. We initially thought our age preference was 2-6 year olds, but as we have gotten more information/education we think we may be a good home for teenagers. We have no children (adopted/fost…

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An Adoptee's Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging 44:53

6M ago44:53

44:53

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Join our discussion with an adult adoptee about her search for her birth family and her identity. We will talk with Julie Ryan McGue, a domestic adoptee and an identical twin. She is the author of Twice a Daughter, which explores her coming to terms with her adoption and her search …

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My Parents Disapprove of Open Adoption - Weekend Wisdom 5:54

6M ago5:54

5:54

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom. Question: How do you speak to family members about open adoption? My entire family supports my intention to adopt as a single parent and has been very excited and generous as I have been working towards becoming a parent. My siblings were both adopted and there is a history of adopt…