Many people think that when you adopt a child as a young baby and give them lots of love and attention and do all the right things to form a healthy attachment, that it’s enough to cover any problems.

What a lot of people don’t realize is that problems begin before the child even breathes their first breath. A mother’s stress hormones during pregnancy affect her child’s brain development immensely. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy physically damages the brain and creates an injury that lasts a lifetime.

This innocent waffle caused an hour-long rage before school this morning because it wasn’t the right color or texture.

My child has a difficult time regulating her emotions and so very small things become VERY BIG THINGS. It’s tempting to assume “Oh, they’re just being a brat” or that their behavior is a result of some failing on my part as a parent.

The more I learn about trauma and brain science, the more compassion I can have for my child and the more I can show her patience. It’s not easy and I’m always learning more.

“The Connected Parent” by Karyn Purvis and Lisa Qualls has been an amazing resource, as well as watching TBRI videos on YouTube.