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Forget the Critics—Your Kid Comes First This Holiday
October 2025 A few months back, I was at an extended family gathering—one of those rare occasions where you’re suddenly surrounded by relatives you haven’t seen in years. Naturally, I wasn’t up to date on everyone’s lives. But then something caught my attention: my cousin’s 14-year-old son was sitting alone at a table, quietly eating […]
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Born to Be a Big Sister
Alex Hepner | Sept 2025 I got a call one day, and within 24 hours, I had a baby in my arms. At the time, I was a single mother to my 5-year-old daughter, I took a kinship placement of my 2-month-old niece. At the time, I had no idea how foster care or kinship […]
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Honoring Kinship Caregivers in September
September is National Kinship Care Month — a time to pause and recognize the powerful role kinship families play in the lives of children. Across Kansas and beyond, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and close family friends step forward when children cannot remain safely with their parents. They open their homes and their hearts, often unexpectedly, […]
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In a World of Chores, Be the Water Balloon
August 2025 I had finally worked up the motivation to cook dinner after a long day at work and an even longer commute home. Then my 9-year-old came to me, a bag of water balloons in hand, asking for a spontaneous water balloon fight. Did he not know I was a boring adult with a […]
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Building Connection, Confidence & Calm: Back-to-School Tips for Adoptive Parents
August 2025 Back-to-school season can stir up a mix of emotions for any family—excitement, nerves, new routines. But for adoptive families, this transition can bring unique challenges and opportunities for connection. Whether your child joined your family recently or years ago, their past experiences may influence how they respond to school structure, peer relationships, and […]
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Finding Peace in Our Imperfections
July 2025 It’s happening. Another phone call from the school about your child struggling to follow directions in class. Maybe you’ve shown up empty handed to Wednesday night scouts, forgetting it was your turn to bring the snacks. In a rush to get out the door your brain blanks on a calendar change, and you […]
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You Matter Too: Letting Go of Guilt and Embracing the Break You Need
July 2025 Parenting is hard. Parenting a child who has experienced trauma, loss, or disruption, like many children who come to families through adoption, is even harder. It often means navigating behaviors that don’t make sense at first glance, advocating in systems that feel overwhelming, and giving emotionally in ways that feel endless. It’s no […]
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Bridging the Gap: How Foster & Kinship Families Can Champion Reintegration
Reintegration, the return of a child in foster care to their birth family, is often the ultimate goal within the foster care system. While it can sometimes feel bittersweet for foster and kinship families who have poured their hearts into caring for a child, understanding and actively supporting this goal is crucial for the child’s […]
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Reunification Month in Kansas: Celebrating Family, Healing, and Hope
June is a special time in Kansas, as it is recognized as Reunification Month. This is a time to celebrate the importance of family reunification in the foster care system and to raise awareness about the crucial role that everyone plays in supporting children and families on their journey towards healing and stability. Reunification is […]
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Kansas Kids Need You: Foster Care Month & Beyond
Every May, our nation comes together to recognize and celebrate National Foster Care Month. In Kansas, this month is a critical opportunity to raise awareness about the vital role foster and kinship families play in providing safe and nurturing homes for children and youth who have experienced trauma and separation from their biological families. It’s […]