Helping Kids Navigate Their Adoption Story
Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast! In this episode, I am joined by Kate Rietema. Kate is an author, speaker, and mama to five kiddos, some adopted and some biological. In our conversation, we discuss how to navigate sharing your child’s adoption story with them. Adoption is beautiful but it comes at a huge loss, a heartbreak for our kids, and it can be hard to share this with them or help them understand it in a way that helps them still feel loved and chosen. Stories are powerful and the stories our foster and adoptive kids tell themselves have a huge impact on their identity and worldview; that is why it is crucial we carefully craft a story that rings true Biblically. It is also important to pause when our child wants to tell us something about their past, and be there, listening and supporting. Here are a few takeaways from our conversation: Storytelling helps build strong identities in adopted children.It's important to highlight both the difficult and beautiful aspects of adoption.Creating a culture of openness allows for ongoing conversations.Children often want to hear stories about themselves.Patience is key when introducing sensitive topics.Listening is more important than responding immediately.Resources like life books can help children understand their stories.Trusting in the Lord's plan is essential for adoptive parents.Connect with Kate on Instagram or check out her website You can also find her books on Amazon or wherever you find your books. You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at somercolbert@gmail.com. I'd love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!