Articles written by Kerry Johnson

What is Helium

About me - Kerry Johnson

My writing is therapy for me. You see, almost 9 years ago we added another child to our family of 4. He was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder from his birth mom drinking while she was pregnant. Our family has had so many ups and downs but I thank God

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Parenting & Pregnancy > Adoption Is giving up a child for adoption giving or selfish?: 3 of 51
After 11 years of trying to become pregnant I found myself sitting in the office of a sweet elderly man with attorney on his nameplate, explaining to me that he was sorry but adoption just wasn't going to be an option for us because we really had no money for adoption costs and our only hope was if a birthmom walked in off th... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Adoption How to tell if foster care is really for you: 3 of 26
How to tell if foster care is really for you.After 11 years of working with kids who are in foster care I have several suggestions.1. Don't set yourself and the child up for failure. Know what types of children you have experience with and what types of issues you can handle. If you're smart mouth 12 year old nephew makes you... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Adoption Guide to parenting adopted children: 3 of 14
Guide to Parenting Adoptive ChildrenI have three adopted children ranging from 13-7 years old. I spoke with all of them as I was beginning to write this article. Some of the answers I got surprised me and others didn't. I guess the one thing that continues to affirm some of the decisions we have made is how open our children ... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Pregnancy Determining whether its okay to drink while pregnant: 3 of 9
As an adoptive mom I can tell you raising a child with FASD is the hardest but the most rewarding thing I have ever done. Andrew is now 7 years old and is in the first grade. He is sweet, generous, loving and very naive. He also has exhibited many of the symptoms associated with FASD since the day we brought him home at 1 wee... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Child Discipline Strategies How to deal with behavior problems: 7 of 20
Let's examine ways in reducing problem behavior and once you identify what triggers problem behaviors, you can use that information to respond more positively to your child's needs. Ways to get started:1. Change the SettingChange the environment, activity, or people involved, so your child feels secure. For example, if your c... More..
Health & Fitness > Mental Health (Other) How to use NMHIC Mental Health Services Locator: 1 of 1
How to use NMHIC Mental Health Services LocatorNMHIC stands for "National Mental Health Information Center". This site is very "user friendly". When trying to locate resources in your area just follow these few easy steps.Begin by going to http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov to find the mental health services in your area.You can ... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Child Discipline Strategies Does spanking work for disciplining kids?: 21 of 36
There should have been a maybe for this answer. There is no clear answer for this questions because each child is different. Two out of my three children it worked for then along came the third one and spanking didn't work. Honestly it made him more aggressive and he seemed confused and it didn't seem to deter him one bit.I h... More..
Home & Garden > Home & Garden (Other) Tips for organizing yard and garage sales: 19 of 31
1. Set your date as soon as you know your wanting to have a yard sale and as far as possible. Know your neighborhood; know when the large employer's in your area pay their employee's. Do you have a significantly large population of elderly or families receiving government assistance? Plan around those times and make sure you'... More..
Education > Special Education What is the Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act?: 3 of 4
Some questions and answer from parents about Section 504 plans.What is a 504 plan?In 1977 Congress adopted a plan called Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Federal Government guarantees that every child in the United States has the right to receive a free and appropriate education. The 504 plan is in place for... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: Adopting a child of another race: 8 of 10
Adopting a child from another race-A child's point of viewI'm a 13 year old bi-racial boy who was adopted at birth by two white parents. I also have a 10 year old bi-racial sister and a 7 year old bi-racial brother who were adopted at birth as well. We are all three from different birth families. I really think its okay for p... More..