Parenting Teens

Hello! My name is Zenethia and I am an adoptive mom to the most amazing 13 year old, Emma. Emma was first placed in care at 1.5 years old. She suffered quite a bit of trauma. She spent approximately 6 years in two other kinship placements before coming to us one month before her 7th birthday.

I have found a lot of our connecting and bonding takes place when we aren't talking to each other. The one ritual we have is "concert time". Concert time is just Emma and I singing our hearts out on the way to school in the morning. I didn't initially realize how much of our connecting was happening during this time. We do not usually talk very much or even discuss the song to play. She usually picks our first song and we just start singing. We've both learned a lot of new music this…

One of the most challenging seasons for many adoptive and foster families is the preteen and teen years.During adolescence, a child's developmental task is to answer the question: "Who am I?" For most teens, that means exploring their interests, values, friendships, and future. But for children who have experienced foster care or adoption, that question often becomes much bigger.

They may wonder:

Who do I look like?

What are my biological parents like?

Do I have siblings?

Why was I placed in foster care or adopted?

Parenting pre-teens and teens can be both rewarding and really challenging—and you’re not alone in that. This is a space for real, honest conversations and support without judgment.

Jump in and share:

Finish this sentence: “I love my teen, but I really struggle with ______.”

What’s one daily challenge with your pre-teen/teen that drains your energy the most?

Check this video out for practical tips to help navigate connection with your teen.

Welcome to our group Parenting Teens ! A space for us to connect and share with each other. Start by posting your thoughts, sharing media, or creating a poll.