Gladney Blog

I don’t know about you but I am parenting a “feeler”. What I mean by this is that he is keenly aware of any change in routine, behavior, and feeds off it. Meaning it is my job to be his internal regulator by calming my own chaos. Through our families' decision to practice social distancing and being aware about COVID-19, I have had to practice my own internal regulation in order to be able to guide my child through this time. When he asks big questions like “why can’t I go to school, play at the park, or see grandpa”. I have found pause with how to answer him.

As you may know, the Gladney Home is housing teenage girls currently in foster care. Like most, we are now on an extended spring break and practicing social distancing. This can be challenging, not only with little kids at home, but older kids as well. To avoid the lure of constant Netflix, iPhones, and screen time, here are some things that we have been doing to break up the day and keep everyone entertained.

I don’t know about you but last week was full of meltdowns for my toddler. He feels confused that his routine is off, he isn’t going to school, and let’s be real, he is probably confused why I’m cooking food instead of going to a restaurant. Our first day of working from home was a bit of a free for all because we don’t even have structure yet as we adapt to the new normal of mom and dad both working from home with both boys.

The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired.

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As a professional, I’ve been fascinated by attachment theory since I was in college and wrote at least three major papers on it. I have jumped at the chance to teach that section of our trainings as an excuse to go deeper into the research and learn more myself. And now that I am a parent, I see the workings of attachment every single day with my child, which has made me even more intrigued by it.

Yesterday, Gladney University participants had the pleasure of hearing from Lauren Labeth, LCSW, about Theraplay® and how she uses this in her practice with families.  Lauren gave a quick overview of Theraplay® and why this mode of treatment is beneficial for all families looking to build a deeper connection with their children.  Along with building a connection with others, we learned that play is used to promote the creation of new neural connections, learn social skills, and test situations in a safe environment.  For children that have experienced trauma or diagnosed with a developmental delay, play is crucial for  brain development and relationship building. 

No Drama Discipline by Dr. Dan Seigel and Dr. Tina Payne Bryson is a must read for parents who want to use connected, respectful, and positive strategies when it comes to discipline. I literally recommend it to every parent I know. Concise, clear, and practical, it gives specific examples and things to try when disciplining our children, all while explaining the neuroscience behind them. A refreshing take in the world of “perfect parenting”, Dan and Tina even give examples of when they lost their cool as parents, or times when they used all the tools in their toolbox and still had to put a screaming toddler in the car. I think we can all relate. Here are just some of the things this book taught me as a professional and a parent.

Episode 5 of reFRAMED Podcast is now available for download! There's something about our children's brain development that catches Bill Porter's attention. He and Emily Morehead have a great conversation about the hope that adoptive parents have in writing ourselves into our child's brain.

Episode 4 of reFRAMED Podcast is now available for download! Pediatrician, occasional children's librarian, educator, public health professional and child health advocate Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, was a wonderful guest that we could have talked to for hours. 

"Lean In"

On Episode 2 of the reFRAMED Podcast, our guest, Marshall Lyles, LPC-S, LMFT-S, RPT-S, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, had a wonderful conversation about mindful parenting and attachment. It's about taking a breath and being in the moment in order to have mindful awareness of what's needed for your child.