Adoption Support The Triple Whammy of Adoption Stress

When we are stressed we tend to stop doing all or some of the pleasurable things in life. This is particularly true as a parent of an adopted child. Any spare time is used up with appointments with head teachers, Sencos, therapists, reading adoption books, being creative so homework does not look like homework, in addition to the shear exhaustion of trying to keep life on an even keel. This gives us a triple whammy of stress. We get all the negative stressful feelings and emotions, stop getting any good feelings from the things we love to do. A third layer the guilt for not doing the good things in life (I should have gone swimming, I shouldn’t have turned down that coffee with my friend) and the guilt of not being a good enough parent. This is further compounded by the intensity of the negative emotions your child can bring out in you.

What negative feelings does your child(ren) bring out in you?

Angry

Persecuted

Inadequate

Helpless

Hopeless

Fearful

Disappointment

Hateful

Anxious

Rejected

Depressed

Resentful

Overwhelmed

Rejected

Manipulated

Ashamed

Confused

Exhausted

Other?

This is further compounded by the Guilt for feeling some of the above and for not always being the loving, nurturing, understanding parent we thought we would be.

To find some solutions to adoption stress, view my free trial to my e-course; "Building Resilience to Stress Less"

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