Whether you're raising adopted children, stepchildren, or the children of relatives, you're navigating an incredible journey filled with both significant challenges and rich rewards.
As we venture into this new year, it's the perfect time to consider how we can set healthy personal boundaries that empower us to thrive as individuals and parents. Boundaries are essential for setting yourself up for success as a second mom!
Unless you're new to my content (or just missed it somehow) you may have heard about my authentic modeling method and wondered just what I was talking about. Today, you’ll be happy to learn that I’m going to show you everything you need to know about my authentic modeling method but were afraid to ask, including how to differentiate it from its cousins too "tough love" and the "gentle parenting" trap/trend. I hope this post encourages you that you don't have to choose between either extreme. You'll be ready to own your second mom role knowing you can maximize your positive parental influence while remaining true to your values and personal commitments.
If you've adopted a child (or three!) in the past year or so, despite getting into a routine and getting to know each other better, you feel a sense of loss as the reality of your "new normal" has set in.
You may find yourself thinking wistfully of those pre-adoption days and what you have essentially given up.
Don’t Gaslight Yourself
Don’t gaslight yourself. Your feelings of loss and grief are valid. You will all likely experience them in the days, weeks, months, years to come. You’ll continue to have adjustments to make. You’ll continue to have opportunities to model moving through grief and loss to your children.
