If you’ve ever tried to talk through behavior or feelings with a child who is clearly dysregulated, you already know this truth: You can’t reason with a nervous system that feels unsafe. Before kids can reflect, apologize, problem-solve, or even name a feeling, their bodies have to calm first. In our home, especially with theContinue reading “Helping Kids Regulate Their Bodies: Proprioceptive, Vestibular, and Rhythmic Input Explained”
Tag Archives: #FamilyBuilding
Anchored in Love: Why I Started This Podcast
Anchored in Love is a new podcast rooted in real-life experiences with foster care, blended family life, healing, and boundaries. In this post, I share why I started the podcast and how it connects to the stories already shared here on the blog, now spoken out loud and available on Apple Podcasts.
For a Little While: Our Foster Care Journey – As Featured on the Mind, Body & Wallet® Podcast
Curious about what foster care actually looks like? I sat down with Mind, Body & Wallet® to share our story, from pandemic fostering to adopting our son AJ.
We talk treatment-level foster care, aging out, family transitions, and the power of showing up even when you don’t know how the story ends.
Blended and Beautiful: Navigating Motherhood in a Mixed Family
Blending a family is one of the hardest, and most rewarding, things I’ve ever done. It’s a mix of chaos, grace, and endless love. Every child in our home has a different story, yet together, we’ve built something beautifully ours. This post is about learning to let go of perfection, embrace connection, and see the real beauty in raising a blended family with love at its center.
Unsolicited Advice: When Family Means Well but Misses the Mark
As moms, we’re constantly surrounded by advice, from family, friends, and even strangers who “mean well.” But sometimes, those comments sting or leave us doubting ourselves. I’ve learned to take advice with gratitude, set gentle boundaries, and remember that what matters most is doing what works for our family. Especially in a blended home, peace comes from trusting your own path, not following everyone else’s.
The Truth About Fostering Teens: What I Wish More People Knew
When most people think of foster care, they picture toddlers or young children, but the reality is that nearly one in three kids in foster care is a teenager. Despite that, teens are often the least likely to find stable placements or permanent families. According to national data, over 20,000 youth age out of fosterContinue reading “The Truth About Fostering Teens: What I Wish More People Knew”
🎙️ Behind the Mic: Why I Said Yes to Talking About Foster Care
When I first got the invitation to join Guardian’s Mind, Body, Wallet podcast for an episode about foster care, I felt both excited and humbled. Talking about fostering is something deeply personal to me. It’s not just something we did; it’s something that forever changed who I am and how I see the world. OurContinue reading “🎙️ Behind the Mic: Why I Said Yes to Talking About Foster Care”
Life Lately: A Family Update from the Heart
It feels like life has been moving at full speed lately, the kind of season where every time I blink, another milestone has passed. I’ve been meaning to sit down and share what’s been going on with our family, but between work, school, travel, and all the transitions, time has had a way of slippingContinue reading “Life Lately: A Family Update from the Heart”
How to Manage a Foster Placement: Welcoming, Supporting, and Organizing for Success
Bringing a foster child into your home is both a rewarding and challenging experience. Each child arrives with their own history, emotions, and needs. As a foster parent, your role is to provide stability, comfort, and support while navigating the administrative side of fostering. Here’s a guide to help you manage a foster placement effectively.Continue reading “How to Manage a Foster Placement: Welcoming, Supporting, and Organizing for Success”
Gestational vs. Traditional Surrogacy: Understanding the Difference
When people hear the word surrogacy, they often assume it’s a one-size-fits-all process. But there are actually two different types of surrogacy: gestational and traditional. Each comes with its own legal, medical, and emotional complexities. Gestational Surrogacy (What We Did) Gestational surrogacy is the most common form of surrogacy today. According to Google’s definition: “GestationalContinue reading “Gestational vs. Traditional Surrogacy: Understanding the Difference”
The Anker Homestead 