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Author: Steve Sunday

Humor as a Coping Skill: The Art of Not Taking Yourself So Seriously

“Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritations and resentments slip away and a sunny spirit takes their place.” Mark Twain (1835-1910), American Novelist and Humorist There once was a king who lived in two-story grass hut. Every holiday the king demanded to be given a new throne as a gift. As soon as a new throne arrived, he

Recognizing the Depressed Child and Adolescent

“The best cure for worry, depression, melancholy, brooding, is to go deliberately forth and try to lift with one’s sympathy the gloom of somebody else.” Arnold Bennett (1867-1931), British Novelist Parenting is inherently difficult work. Patience, endurance, and restraint are common traits that parents develop as they set boundaries, teach morals, and discipline their children. More difficulties compound when children and adolescents begin showing signs of

Dear Family, Here Are a Few Things We Need You To Know (An Open Letter To Families of Hopeful Adoptive Couples)

To Our Beloved Families, We have decided to grow our family by adoption! We understand you don’t have much exposure to adoption and it’s often misunderstood. We understand you are unfamiliar with the subject and may feel upset or uncomfortable with our decision. Or perhaps you feel as overjoyed as we do! We invite you to ask us questions or express your curiosities and we’ll answer

Have Your Baby Shower (& Eat the Cake, Too)

Experiencing adoption is different than experiencing a pregnancy, obviously. But can’t all the joyous rituals be the same? I’ve heard this debate among adoptive parents so many times throughout my few years submerged in the adoption community. Some hopeful adoptive mamas are asked by dear friends to host a baby shower on her behalf.  Sometimes, we’re caught off-guard and don’t know what to say. Maybe

4 Important Lessons Adoption Taught Me

I went in to adoption with very little exposure of the concept. I didn’t have much knowledge on the subject nor know anyone personally who had adopted. It seemed so far-fetched, a mountain we couldn’t possibly climb. I was overwhelmed at the information online and the endless resources. In the beginning, I was paralyzed with fear and doubt. I had always been a planner. I

5 Misconceptions of Adoption

There are so many misconceptions regarding adoption. Mostly, those around us are simply unaware and uneducated about the topic. In the past, society has not always celebrated this occurrence or recognized that families are now made in so many different ways. We’re evolving from decades of living in a society that only recognized the “traditional” family and way of life. The concept of families is

When Adoption Doesn’t Go As Planned

My family just experienced a failed adoption.  Many people in the adoption community somewhat balk at the term “failed adoption” because they believe it’s disrespectful to the parents who have bravely decided to parent instead of placing their child with an adoptive family. This is understandable. However, I can tell you first hand that it very much feels like a devastating failure for the hopeful

The Chronically Ill Child: When Our Best Doesn’t Seem Good Enough

“When something goes wrong with children’s bodies, the reverberations penetrate deep into the consciousness of families and health professionals alike.” Susan McDaniel, Jeri Hepworth, and William Doherty, Medical Family Therapists Who of you parents have not stayed by the bedside of your child with a raspy cough, congested sinuses, warming temperature, or upset stomach? Illness is a strikingly predictable feature of childhood. Acute illness is bad