Tag Archives: Shannon Dingle

Please don’t say “all kids do that” to adoptive and foster families…

But when foster or adoptive parents like me hear that, it feels dismissive to the real grief, pain, and trauma our kids have experienced and how that history still influences their actions today. Usually when someone tells another parent “all kids do that,” the words are meant to be helpful, to soothe our nerves or encourage us in the midst of a hard parenting moment. But that’s not what your words do. Instead those words invalidate what we know to be true and minimize the extra layer of thinking that parenting kids from hard places requires. Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Families, Foster Care, Key Ministry, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 75 Comments

HIV and other blood-borne pathogens in children’s ministry…Shannon Dingle

So what should you do if there’s a child with HIV in your church? The same thing you should do otherwise: use best practices for first aid and show love to the child and parents. Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Controversies, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Our ten most popular blog posts of 2014…

Sharing today’s post is an excellent way of introducing the blog…and Key Ministry with pastors, friends and family members who would be blessed! Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Advocacy, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mental Health, PTSD, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I love adoption, but…

When we say yes as a church to caring about vulnerable children and families, let’s also say yes to talking about related challenges too. Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Families, Foster Care, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

When it’s scary to say yes…

If we ask families in our churches to say yes to adoption, then we need to be ready to say yes to those families and their children if they need support after their yes leads to unexpected challenges. Continue reading

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To love adoptive and foster families, (5) be willing to listen and learn.

Listen to the challenges we encounter as adoptive and foster families, such as being conspicuous in public due to adopting or fostering a child of a different race, considering dissolution or disruption of a child’s placement within our family in favor of another family who might be better equipped to meet the child’s needs, losing friends or family who don’t agree with our choice to adopt or foster, and struggling with the special needs of our child, whether known before placement or presenting as a surprise post-placement. Continue reading

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To love adoptive and foster families, (4) let our kids be kids…

But they are kids, first and foremost. Welcome them as you would any other child. Work with their parents or guardians to figure out how to include them well.
Continue reading

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To love adoptive and foster families, (3) partner with us…

So it makes sense that one way to love the adoptive and foster families in your church is to partner with us. In many ways, this looks just like family ministry does for everyone else. Continue reading

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#2…Churches should become trauma and attachment-informed

So, church leaders, what can you do to become trauma- and attachment-informed and to then use that knowledge to serve adoptive and foster families well? Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Advocacy, Controversies, Families, Foster Care, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Five ways the church can love their adoptive and foster families

When their parents are being elevated with comments about what a great thing they did, then those children may feel like they are less deserving of their families than a biological child might be. Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Advocacy, Families, Foster Care, Key Ministry, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments