Several people expressed interest in the boring logistics of feeding and caring for a large family, something I don’t blog about much for a couple of reasons. It bores me for one, and it is so chore-like that my eyes glaze over at the thought of recounting the repetitive, mundane details of life as the mama of 39 children.

Truly the hard physical work is easy as pie compared to the emotional demands, the acting out and all the issues I face each day; the lack of logic sends me reeling at times and the ingratitude is appalling.

I try and stay caught... more

I’ve been reading and digesting Focal Point for two months now, feeling as if they must have taken notes from my house alone. The entire issue is devoted to traumatic stress and 38 of my 39 children fall squarely into that category. One does not lose one’s initial caretaker and not feel stress; most of my children were also abused and neglected.

My birth daughter and I have absorbed much of their stress, we’ve become nearly as traumatized after all these years of going between our family’s gratitude, resentment, happiness, grief and ten million other emotions, it has beat us both down over the years.

Moments of pure,... more

Stepping into the reader’s shoes, I’m wondering aloud what adoptive parents want to read in my adoption blogs. I want to meet your needs, to cover what may have confounded you. I may not have answers, but likely I’ve had a similar experience. I simply share how we have handled these situations that are unique to the world of parenting older adopted children.

The word ‘validation’ screams at me. We dearly want someone to notice our efforts and our dedication to older children. We didn’t get the cute little babies; we chose the older, but still cute,... more

I’m a rock. I have to be a rock. My kids need for me to be a rock constantly.

They have never had anyone that they can count on to be consistent. If nothing else, I am a consistent rock.

I will always choose to follow God and therefore I can be counted on by them to do the right thing. They, my kids, know that I will do the right thing. They test me, certainly, but their knowledge runs deep, that I can be counted on.

We are right now neck deep in a family problem with an older, college educated daughter; a very bad situation... more

If you think you have seen it all like I have in dealing with mean little toddlers. We haven't seen anything yet.

I met my match today. I am usually calm, cool and collected, a bit silly, I use humor a lot like ice cream. You would think ice cream is the heal all cure all at our house. Today was a mint chocolate chip day. giggle.

I went over to drop off my daughter Angela to sit with her sister and play with the kids. While dad and I had some adult time. We on a trip to see our nephew and had six hours to our own selves.

Before I got into the... more

One of the things that is very important for all parents who want to be the best they can be is to establish a date night out. It helps relieve stress from work, home, and family. It rekindles the spark of love between you and your spouse. It can help influence how you parent by helping you to relax and appreciate your kids on family nights.

On our date night out this week, my husband decided that we would catch dinner and a movie. This is something that we both have enjoyed from day one in our marriage.

We like a wide range of subjects so we take turns picking the movie on our date night. This was his pick. A marvelously funny one at that. I have never laughed out loud... more

Adult men who grew up in single-parent households are twice as likely as other men to have been sexually abused during childhood, a U.S. study found.

I’m a single parent.

I’m very aware, and outspoken, over the “Mom’s Live-In Boyfriend” problem. Usually in every crime against children, there's a “Mom’s Live-In Boyfriend” suspect; often unemployed, living in her apartment, and serving as a free babysitter. Way too often he has... more

“The mother brought the three boys to the Loganville police station. The boys were crying as they confessed, police said.”

These three young boys, ages 7, 9 and 11, broke into a business, stole some items, including a fire accelerant, and set a fire that burned four homes…sort of accidentally.

I am very big on accountability and personal responsibility. Very big, I am annoyingly pro-law, I respect authority and doing the right thing. I have boys this... more

“You don’t have to own that, DON’T own that,” a therapist admonished me when I poured out how I felt when my children dumped on me for what others had done to them. How they want to make me pay for the sins of others, how they truly want me to physically feel their pain.

“Detach, “ I’ve been advised by many professionals, and I’ve learned to do that to a great extent, so great at times that I wonder if I can come back to attach.

I’ve just stared back while a child escalates, wanting me to hit them like everyone else has done,... more

There are times when parenting your children can be a very tearful experience. No parent ever likes to ground, lecture or discipline their children.

It would be a wonderful world if parents didn't have to raise their kids to be responsible adults. No one just develops morals if they are not taught to care about important things.

If everyone just went around slapping and hurting each other and no one said a word. What would life be like? Parents are trying hard now and sometimes they get treated like dirt.

Kids with... more