How Churches Can Support Women who are Moms in Complex Families such as Adoptive Moms & Step-Moms
Just imagine…You're a mom, and you're not the child's first mom. They don’t automatically look to you as their home base, as “mom”. You feel alone, unsupported, and like you don't quite fit in anywhere, and while your church has been an integral part of your life for years, you’re feeling less and less connected, less and less understood, less and less supported.
Read more...You May Be at Greater Risk for Burnout, Compassion Fatigue or Secondary Trauma!
As an adoptive mom you may be at a heightened risk for burnout, compassion fatigue or secondary trauma as primary caregiver for high need children and teens. In many adoptive families the children have suffered an enormous degree of trauma and in particular the loss of not only their first mother but other caregivers as well in their formative years. This can impact them long-term in various ways, complicating your role as their parent-caregiver.
Q. What is Parental Abuse?
A. Parental abuse, also called by other names (CPV - Child to Parent Violence; APV - Adolescent to Parent Violence) is when a child/adolescent abuses a parent.
This can be done through words (threatening) or physical actions, and often results in fear for the safety of the abused parent. It usually refers to physical violence. However there are other types of abuse as well.
If you are being threatened or physically harmed by your teenager, it is important to take steps to ensure your safety. This may mean leaving the home temporarily until things calm down, calling the police, or seeking help from a friend or family member.
