Are you a parent of a child/teen where normal parenting techniques are not working? Stressed out? Trying just to keep your head above water and stay one step ahead of them? We love our kids dearly and honor their spirit but they can be really good at being bad at times. We need strength for this journey. Are you trying to figure out what to do and how to get them help? So am I. I think there needs to be a Meetup for us adoptive parents (all parents are welcome who need this group) so we can support each other and learn from each other's successes and mistakes. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses that can help the other. I can't tell you how many times I needed someone that I could trust and that simply understood during those highly emotional times. Someone that could help me not stick my foot in my mouth at a CFT or meeting. Someone to get my back, so to speak, so I wouldn't say something that would cause more problems when emotions were running high. Dealing with the mental health system and its people can be nerve racking to say the least! Let’s meet for happy hour and have some good food, fun, interesting conversation and gain some perspective! Let's face it, if you have a child like this, you need a little fun and relaxation with people who really understand what it is like to live with an intense child. Parents of normal kids just don't understand and their advice can be frustratingly inadequate and does real damage to our self-esteem as parents at times. We all need a little help fortifying our inner strength. All is welcome who needs this group, adoptive parent or not. If you are struggling with your own biological kids, grandparents taking care of grandkids or you are a foster parent, are all welcome to join this group.

I would love to eventually see a group of people who over time have built a close friendship and bond with each other because we have a common interest, the love of our kids and their best interest at heart. It is my hope we can get together and share daily struggles, our stories and the antics of daily life. Basically, life with an intense child can really tough along with rewarding. We can learn from each other and laugh our self and the all the stupid stuff we do and the antics of our kids so we can then we can keep the perspective that we need to fight this good fight. It can be a long road. Our kids need us at our best. This is something we can do to replenish our spirit. Each of our triumphs and mistakes may help another. I hope to find some fun and interesting happy hour places for us to meet so the food is inexpensive. I love to eat out and explore new places! Who says a support group has to be boring! I plan to create the meeting places and how often we meet according to the interest and demand, so, who wants to join me?

"Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don't give up."
-- Anne Lamott