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At least once a week I struggle about what to share here. This is my most recent example. It's a series of tips on the U.S. Department of Education . These are great hand-outs with comprehensive information about child development that's not too long, abstract or hard to read. Here's the list (also attached below). I especially like the flyer for talking about feelings which has the tag line "Talking is teaching." And the short summary of milestones at different ages and stages from birth to...

O.k,, I admit I've never participated in a live Twitter event before. Ever. I won't be able to say that after this week. There's a chat about parenting issues important to lots of us though on Weds. at 3p.m. so I'm in. This is what's being talked about. "How do we make sure that all parents can provide for their families and improve their lives? What are the best ways to prepare our children for bright, confident, and prosperous futures?" Doesn't that sound like a conversation begging for...

This book is so good. I am loving reading it and I have already underlined so many parts that I can't wait to read the whole thing to write a book review. I'm going to start sharing some quotes. First, what I love most is the warm and non-clinical tone. It sounds like it is written by a human being and that's appealing. The author writes about parents (and is one) with kindness and care and as a human being. O.k., at only 50 pages in, here are some of the gems so far : "Listening to parents...

I got lucky. My health failed. I needed heart surgery. Did you hear me say I was lucky? That’s maybe the only thing I know for sure in the muddy morality of planet Earth: If you get sober at 33, you are incredibly lucky, even with the heart surgery. Yes, I torched a first marriage, and I have to live knowing it was my fault. In rehab, though, I sat around people in their 50s and 60s, disasters tattooed on their faces, a whole army of aches scattered around them. People whose children...

Has learning about attachment changed or impacted YOUR parenting? Does it help people you work with? Do you know of any programs that teach about attachment? Please share any info., stories or links Learning about attachment has helped ALL of my relationships. Learning about attachment, mostly from adoption parenting books and Daniel Siegel's Parenting from the Inside Out , help me understand why I've always got one eye on the door, how I think everyone has at least a double life (if not...

Note: There were some technical difficulties in a few spots in this webinar but if you can hang in through that there's some great content on how ACEs education helps parenting and parental engagement in the Circle of Parents programs, shown with data as well as observation. This webinar is hosted by Circle of Parents as part of a series on parental engagement, involvement and leadership. A few quotes: Professional Working with Parents about ACEs Education "It seemed to be a catalyst for...

Note: This article is geared towards adoptive parents and for children who might be recovering from trauma and have pain associated with attachment.. However, I share it here because as an adoptive parent myself and someone with a high ACE score, I have learned more about attachment from other adoptive parents than anywhere. Attachment is more than love. And sometimes, depending on the experiences we have had and/or the ones our children have had, attachment takes a lot of consistent effort...

Note: This handout was developed with, for and by parents in the child welfare system. However, it's got great content for all parents. For example, the article "Fight or Flight: Coping When Visits Stir Up Reminders of Trauma" is excellent. Lots of us parenting with ACEs have had the shameful experience of being triggered by our children. It can feel horrible. However, it's something we rarely admit, talk about or find addressed anywhere. Part of the problem is that much of the stuff written...

Here's a link to several great downloads I'm adding to the Parenting with ACEs resource section. I've attached one of the five so you can get an idea of content and visuals. The downloads are all free and if you want colorful handouts those are available for purchase.

This is a gut-wrenching quote. “I am faced with a situation that you really cannot speak about and manage as a parent, as you feel that you should as a citizen,” Tucker said. Keith Pemberton, a social worker from High Point, N.C., is a member of Omega Psi Phi — a historically black fraternity with more than 700 chapters worldwide — and the father of three boys, ages 11, 8 and 6. “My wife and I really want to build into them a sense of possibility, of purpose. So, it is beyond disheartening...

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development U.S. Department of Education Policy Statement on Meeting the Needs of Families with Young Children Experiencing and At Risk of Homelessness October 31, 2016 Excerpt from the report : Recent data indicate that among persons who seek shelter because they are homeless in the United States, the age group most likely to experience homelessness includes newborns or infants in the first year of life, and...

I was leaving the house on the way to do something brand new and scary a few weeks ago. My two close friends, Heidi and Kathy, both sent me a text. One has an ACE score of 10. One has a below 4 score. The text from Kathy reminded me that I am loved and safe. She sent me a sticky note with affirmations and attempted to calm my nerves by reminding me that humans are caring and curious and want to know what others have to say. The other text was from Heidi. It said, "Beast mode today." That was...