Foster Parenting

Evie and Elliot are scrawny, filthy, and wide-eyed with fear when they turn up on foster carer Maggie Hartley's doorstep. Aged just two and three years old, this brother and sister have hardly set foot outside their own home. They have been prisoners, locked in a terrifying world of abuse, violence, and neglect. Maggie soon realizes that Evie and Elliot are lacking the basic life skills we all take for granted. The outside world terrifies them; the sound of the doorbell sends them into a panic that takes hours to abate.

Are you constantly stressed by overwhelming demands? Does it feel like you can’t relax or get rid of stress? If so, you’re not alone. According to the Global Organization for Stress, 75 percent of Americans experienced moderate to high-stress levels in the past month. And even worse 89 percent of people complain about stress that causes serious damage to the physical and mental health.

Are you struggling with your defiant child and yearning for a peaceful family life? You're not alone. Many parents face Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) in their children, but you can take control of your journey.

Whether your child has only been recently diagnosed with ADHD or you’ve been living with their condition for quite a while, it’s normal for parents to feel worried, overwhelmed, and exhausted most of the time. However, keep in mind that ADHD is a condition, not a life sentence. It’s entirely possible for your young one to succeed because of their condition–not despite it. The key is learning how to address your child’s condition properly and consistently at the soonest time possible–the earlier you manage it, the higher their chances of success and happiness.

Just when Casey thinks her foster care duties are done, she’s asked to look after Sam, a troubled nine-year-old with a violent streak who drove his previous guardians to release him of their care. It soon unfolds, however, that this is no simple case. Determined to get to the root of Sam’s behaviour, Casey is committed to uncover his mysterious past only to find out something far darker than she ever imagined.

Families spend 50 minutes per day arguing, do you want to be wasting your life in conflict? The right tools can help you turn fights into positive learning experiences and even opportunities for growth. Mastering Confrontation by Robert Hunt can help you change your mindset gradually using concrete steps. Get this audiobook now to master uncomfortable situations, improve your communication, and learn the ins and outs of conflict resolution.

At just 10 years old, Kirsty has already suffered a lifetime of heartache and suffering. Neglected by her teenage mother and taken into care, Kirsty thought she had found her forever family when she is fostered by Pat and Mike, who she comes to see as her real mum and dad. But when Pat has a heart attack and collapses in front of her, Kirsty's foster family says it's all her fault. They blame her temper tantrums for putting Pat under stress and they don't want Kirsty in their lives anymore.

Lidia Yuknavitch is a proud misfit. That wasn't always the case. It took Lidia a long time to not simply accept but appreciate her misfit status. Having flunked out of college twice (and maybe even a third time that she's not going to tell you about), with two epic divorces under her belt, an episode of rehab for drug use, and two stints in jail, she felt like she would never fit in. She was a hopeless misfit. She'd failed as daughter, wife, mother, scholar - and yet the dream of being a writer was stuck like "a small sad stone" in her throat.

Maggie faces one of the most challenging cases of her career when a young, orphaned Syrian girl comes to live with her. Barely able to communicate without a shared language, Maggie must battle to reach the vulnerable refugee and help her to start to overcome the traumas she has endured. But there is more horror to come when Maggie starts to suspect that the young girl is being groomed by relatives back in Syria to return and join ISIS.

Harley, 13, has been sectioned under the mental health act after attempting suicide. She was spotted climbing the railings on a footbridge that crossed a busy motorway and pulled to safety by a member of the public. After six weeks in hospital, social services are looking for a short-term placement so she can be kept safe while family therapy takes place. Harley has a family - a widowed mother and an older sister, Milly, who left home with her long-term boyfriend just over a year ago.

If you are considering adoption or foster care or are already somewhere in this difficult and complicated process, you need trusted information from people who have been where you are. Mike and Kristin Berry have adopted eight children and cared for another 23 kids in their nine-year stint as foster parents. They aren't just experts. They have experienced every emotional high and low and encountered virtually every situation imaginable as parents. Now, they want to share what they've learned with you.

Can you teach your child to be kind? This vital question is taking on a new urgency as our culture grows ever more abrasive and divided. A world-renowned developmental psychologist, Dr. Thomas Lickona has lead the character education movement in schools for 40 years and now he shares with parents the vital tools they need to create a culture of kindness at home. Kindness doesn’t stand on its own. It needs a supporting cast of other essential virtues - like self-control, good judgment, courage, and gratitude.

You become what you think about most of the time. Your outside life is the average of the thoughts you have been entertaining since you were born. By changing your thoughts, you can transform your life. Your mind is divided into two sections: the conscious and the subconscious mind.

An inspirational guide to the 6 core qualities of healthy communities, for anyone looking to build community as a source of connection and a vehicle for social change.

This book breaks down the complexities of overthinking into practical steps, combining exercises, success stories, and tests to focus on areas needing attention in your relationship. It demonstrates that positive change is achievable. Whether addressing issues individually or as a couple, this guide allows you to personalize your journey toward relationship growth.

What can you do to create unlimited wealth? Ask and You Will Succeed is a breath of fresh air in a marketplace crowded with advice on what to believe and how to live. Filled with powerful questions that invite you to listen to your inner voice and tap into the strength you need to create your ideal life, this audio book makes you the final authority in your own life - not outside forces that you can't control.

It is sadly true that it is not always easy to fall asleep. This gently amusing, highly effective anthology of soporific dullness has been carefully curated to put listeners to sleep as quickly as possible. This giftable godsend for the under-rested features dozens of snoozy short texts, including "The Motion of Sand Dunes," "The Administrative Bureaucracy of the Byzantine Empire," "White Noise: A Technical Explanation," and many dozens more - though good luck listening very far on any one evening.

When 16-year-old Jess arrives on foster carer Maggie Hartley's doorstep with her newborn son Jimmy, she has nowhere else to go. Arriving straight from the hospital having just given birth, Jess is like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Scared, alone, and practically a child herself, she is overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring for a newborn without the support of a loving family or her beloved boyfriend. With social services threatening to take baby Jimmy into care, Jess knows that Maggie is her only chance of keeping her son.

Are you tired of feeling like roommates instead of soulmates? Do the same old arguments keep circling back, leaving you feeling stuck in a loop? Feeling like the passion has faded into a comfortable routine? You're not alone, and there's a lot you can do about it. Step into this expert-designed program and experience the profound difference it can make in your journey together. Rediscover each other and the love that brought you together, rekindled, and strengthened for a lifetime.

Everyone has a "schmuck" in their office - a difficult, disruptive person who upsets the workplace, confuses their coworkers, and causes concern. No one is safe from a schmuck. They come in many sizes and shapes. In her new audiobook, Dr. Jody Foster explains the entire spectrum of schmucks and how they can decrease productivity and generally make everyone else unhappy.