by Marisue Alsobrook
Introduction:  Do you know people who always seem to be in a good mood, no matter what?  You think “They’re lucky!  I wish I had their life!”  But, wait.  Take a closer look.  It’s not luck.  It’s choice.  Everyone has a back story. 
Learning From Your History
During my 18 years of parenting foster kids I [...]

Marisue says:  ”Both as a teacher and foster parent, I disovered that clothing ‘makes the person’ just as my mom and grandmother used to say.  Children are very affected by their clothing  and should be given choices at an early age.  Think of your own comfortable robe, baggy t-shirt or favorite house shoes.  We all know how teens [...]

Do we need to change?  What needs to change?  Maybe we just need to change how we think about ourselves.  Where do you begin the search? It almost seems like a joke. To many, it is the real meaning of life. Over many years I’ve read many books on psychology. At one point in my [...]

Positive self talk is invaluable. Most of us feed ourselves a steady diet of negativity. Stop! Think well of yourself and your life. That’s an important step in making your relationships better. Begin with these concepts.

by Marisue Alsobrook
Troubled Teens are one of the biggest challenges in families today and even more so in foster families.  When I look back at our hardest and even worst days as a foster parent, I’m looking right into the eyes of troubled teens.  Not only are they hard to deal with, they can have a [...]

Begin Now, today! Improve kid’s behaviors by starting right in the middle of where you are! Make lists of what’s right, and begin to praise it over and over in a sincere manner. Keep your corrections of the “wrong” brief and friendly. Kid’s often think it’s “all over” and their self esteem quickly takes a nose dive over the smallest consequences. If we’re aware of that, we can make great progress with little damage to their fragile personalities when they’re young or even in their teens.