Calendar Conversations: A Guide for Adoptive Parents

April Dinwoodie
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Monthly

"Calendar Conversations: A Guide for Adoptive Parents" is an engaging and informative podcast that explores the power of utilizing the calendar as a guide to create a brighter path to inclusive parenting. Hosted by transracially adopted person and parenting coach, April Dinwoodie, this podcast aims to provide valuable insights, practical tips, and emotional support. 

 Through thought-provoking discussions and personal stories, "Calendar Conversations" dives into the significance of recognizing and honoring important family milestones related to the life-long adoption journey. From adoption anniversaries and birthdays to navigating days of loss, this podcast offers guidance on how to navigate these experiences with sensitivity, inclusivity, and resilience.

 Listeners can expect to gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges faced by adoptive parents and discover strategies for creating meaningful traditions and rituals that encourage a deeper sense of belonging for children and stronger family bonds. The podcast also explores the importance of self-care and provides resources for building a supportive community.

 With its conversational tone and expert advice, "Calendar Conversations: A Guide for Adoptive Parents" is an invaluable resource for adoptive parents seeking guidance, inspiration, and a sense of connection. Tune in to this podcast and embark on a journey of growth, understanding, and celebration one month at a time.

  1. 3d ago

    Back to School & The High Cost of Belonging (August/September Double Episode)

    As the calendar turns from August into September, back-to-school season brings fresh sneakers, bustling hallways, and clean slates. Yet beneath the excitement, children separated from their birth families often wrestle with a quiet, persistent question: "Do I belong anywhere?" In this special August/September double episode of Calendar Conversations, host April Dinwoodie dives into the complex intersections of back-to-school transitions, identity, and transracial adoption. Drawing from her own lived experience growing up Black and biracial in a 96% white town, April reveals the invisible toll of overperforming to fit in. She candidly shares how varsity cheerleading became armor, how the desperate desire for acceptance led her to unsafe spaces, and how an underlying fear of being "sent back" made her test the very family that loved her. With September marking Suicide Prevention Month and Adoptee Suicide Prevention Awareness, April addresses the sobering reality behind adoptee mental health statistics and offers parents four concrete, proactive practices to build psychological safety at home. Featuring insights inspired by Colin Kaepernick's journey growing up as an adopted Black youth in Turlock, California, this episode serves as an urgent reminder for caregivers: hold your children close at home so they never have to bargain for belonging out in the world. Support & Resources Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (Free, confidential, available 24/7). Adoptee Mental Health: September is Adoptee Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Featured Reference: Colin Kaepernick's story of identity, family, and transracial adoption.

  2. Jul 14

    July Calendar Conversation: Why Openness Matters in Adoption

    In this episode, April discusses the profound impact of adoption on identity, the importance of openness and reform, and how adoptive parents can foster a supportive environment for their children's lifelong journey of self-discovery. Takeaways     •    Adoption is a lifelong relationship, not a one-time transaction.     •    Most states still seal original birth certificates, limiting access.     •    Advocacy for openness should start with adoptive parents.     •    Human identity is not fixed at the moment of adoption.     •    Creating a culture of questions and openness benefits children. Connect with April & The Community:     •    Website: juneinapril.com     •    Instagram/Social Media: @juneinapril     •    Transform Your Family: Learn more about TRJ Family Camp (Together on the Journey)—a warm, supportive, and transformative space for families connected by transracial adoption.

  3. Jun 10

    June Calendar Conversation: Naming, Claiming, and Fathering

    In this episode, April begins by exploring the profound theme of naming and claiming in adoption. June also invites us to notice, name, and claim the fathers and father-figures in our lives, whether they are present, tenderly remembered, deeply complicated, or still questions. This Episode Covers: The Texture of a Namesake Month: How birth names hold an entire universe of history, mystery, and origin for adopted persons. Expanding the Definition of Fathering: Moving past traditional boxes to embrace birth, adoptive, chosen, and elder father-figures. Questions for the Inner House: Honest reflections for adoptive parents on the language used surrounding fathers of origin. June Calendar Practices: Practical, physical ways to anchor your reflections, circle your truth, and use symbols to honor those who have shaped your child's journey. Connect with April & The Community: Website: juneinapril.com Instagram/Social Media: @juneinapril Transform Your Family: Learn more about TRJ Family Camp (Together on the Journey)—a warm, supportive, and transformative space for families connected by transracial adoption.

  4. May 13

    The Mother of All Months: Navigating Grief and Celebration in May

    "I simply would not exist without one, and I can't imagine existing without the other." In this episode of Calendar Conversations, host April Dinwoodie leans into the profound emotional tension of May—a month often defined by Mother's Day and National Foster Care Month. For adoptive and foster families, May isn't just about flowers and brunch; it is a complex landscape of "disenfranchised grief," curiosity, and deep connection. April shares her personal journey as an adoptee named June by her mother of origin and April by her adoptive parents. She explores why the "April showers" of original mother loss are necessary for the "May flowers" of a new family to bloom. This conversation provides adoptive parents with a vital "toolbox" to help their children navigate the questions they may be too afraid to ask. In this episode, we discuss: Disenfranchised Grief: Understanding the loss that society often fails to acknowledge. Managing the Mothering Landscape: Why parents must heal their own mother wounds to hold space for their child's grief. The Bridge of Curiosity: Practical ways to validate a child's wonder about their mother of origin. National Foster Care Month: The role of foster parents as stewards of original connections. Managing Expectations: How to celebrate Mother's Day without placing the burden of emotional validation on your child. Join us as we practice this month's mantra: Care comes from many hands. Key Takeaways  Acknowledge the Sadness: It is okay to feel grief even in a month of celebration. Be the Bridge: Ask the questions your child might be too afraid to voice. Self-Care is Child-Care: Manage your own emotional needs on Mother's Day so your child doesn't have to. Celebrate the Blend: Recognition for the original mother, the foster mother, and the mother raising the child today. Links: Learn more about April's work and book a parent coaching session https://aprildinwoodie.com/ Learn more about TRJ Family Camp at Ohio University July 30-Aug 2 https://www.togetheronthejourney.org/ Learn about Disenfranchised Grief in Adoption from Dr. Gregory Manning https://youtu.be/UYfAcHGkRLs?si=mbwcJgfSiouawB-0

  5. Apr 16

    April Showers: Adoption, Grief, and Labels with April Dinwoodie

    In rural New England, we're taught that "April showers bring May flowers"—the idea that hardship eventually leads to joy. But for adopted and foster youth, the "showers" of grief, identity confusion, and ambiguous loss don't follow a simple weather pattern. In this episode, April Dinwoodie explores why adopted children are often labeled as "dramatic" or "attention-seeking" when they are actually navigating profound emotional pain. April shares her own journey as a transracially adopted person and dives into the data from C.A.S.E. that highlights the unique mental health needs of the adoption community.  Visit C.A.S.E to learn more https://adoptionsupport.org/stateofpractice/#survey-highlights

  6. Mar 13

    The L.U.C.K.Y. Framework: Supporting Adopted Children Through Complexity

    March is filled with symbols of luck—four-leaf clovers, leprechauns, and pots of gold. But for many adopted people, the idea of being "lucky" can feel far more complicated. In this episode of Calendar Conversations with June in April, April Dinwoodie explores the powerful narratives that often surround adoption—especially the message that adopted children should feel "lucky." While often well-intended, this narrative can unintentionally silence the very real experiences of loss, grief, curiosity, and identity that many adopted people carry. April shares research on openness in adoption, explains the concept of genetic bewilderment, and introduces the L.U.C.K.Y. framework—a practical guide to help parents navigate difficult moments with empathy, honesty, and connection.

  7. Feb 14

    February: Love That Protects — The Gap Between Loving and Protecting Transracially Adopted Children

    February holds Valentine's Day and Black History Month — tenderness and truth, celebration and resistance. In this powerful February episode of Calendar Conversations with June in April, April Dinwoodie explores the gap between loving and protecting transracially adopted children. As a Black woman raised in a white adoptive family, April reflects on growing up deeply loved — and yet not always protected from racism in extended family spaces, schools, and the broader culture. She shares how children absorb what adults interrupt… and what they allow. In a moment when racism is more explicit and family separation is visible in public life, transracially adopted children are navigating layers of identity, belonging, grief, and racialized harm — often without adults realizing what is landing in their bodies. This episode invites white adoptive parents to examine: Do you love Blackness beyond your child? Have you confronted racism within your own family systems? Have you built authentic relationships in communities that reflect your child's identity? Have you chosen your child's dignity over your own comfort? Because loving the child entrusted to you through adoption is not the same as being prepared to protect them. This conversation is about activist love — love that interrupts harm, aligns publicly, builds community, and stands between a child and the world. Transracially adopted children deserve more than affection. They deserve protection.

  8. Jan 8

    January: Mapping What Matters & The Universal Tool for Belonging

    Belonging is a fundamental human need, yet for adopted persons, it is often a persistent challenge. While not everyone can fully grasp the lived experience of navigating adoption, separation, and dual belonging, everyone understands the rhythm of the calendar. In this episode, April Dinwoodie (June in April) introduces the calendar as a universal, practical parenting tool for planning and ongoing practice. By "Mapping What Matters," families can move beyond the silence of grief and "color-blind" parenting and begin to name the realities of identity and origin. April shares how her own history—being named June by her parent of origin and April by her adoptive family—taught her that multiple truths can exist side-by-side on the same calendar. Learn how to use this shared rhythm to create a brighter path to belonging for the children entrusted to you.

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5
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3 Ratings

About

"Calendar Conversations: A Guide for Adoptive Parents" is an engaging and informative podcast that explores the power of utilizing the calendar as a guide to create a brighter path to inclusive parenting. Hosted by transracially adopted person and parenting coach, April Dinwoodie, this podcast aims to provide valuable insights, practical tips, and emotional support. 

 Through thought-provoking discussions and personal stories, "Calendar Conversations" dives into the significance of recognizing and honoring important family milestones related to the life-long adoption journey. From adoption anniversaries and birthdays to navigating days of loss, this podcast offers guidance on how to navigate these experiences with sensitivity, inclusivity, and resilience.

 Listeners can expect to gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges faced by adoptive parents and discover strategies for creating meaningful traditions and rituals that encourage a deeper sense of belonging for children and stronger family bonds. The podcast also explores the importance of self-care and provides resources for building a supportive community.

 With its conversational tone and expert advice, "Calendar Conversations: A Guide for Adoptive Parents" is an invaluable resource for adoptive parents seeking guidance, inspiration, and a sense of connection. Tune in to this podcast and embark on a journey of growth, understanding, and celebration one month at a time.

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