Let’s be real — fostering and adoption come with a unique set of challenges… and sometimes, even more challenging conversations. In this episode, we share the top awkward, cringey, or unintentionally hurtful things people have said to us as foster and adoptive parents — and we unpack why those comments can be difficult, and how to say something more helpful instead.

We’re talking about real-life phrases we’ve heard like:

• “Are you going to keep them?”

• “Which ones are yours?”

• “What happened to their real parents?”

• “You’re such a saint!”

• “I could never do that.”

• “You look tired.”

• “Everything happens for a reason.”

• “At least....”

But this episode isn’t just about the hard stuff — we’re keeping it funny and honest too. You’ll hear about:

• Whitney’s traumatic bathtub corn dog incident during a hair-washing session (yes, it’s as wild as it sounds)

• Our mini bernedoodle’s attempt to save the day

• The beauty and chaos of a full house

• And the sweetest moment when our little one says, “Mommy, tonight was really fun…”

We’re not here to shame anyone — we know most people mean well. But we hope this conversation helps others better understand how to support, speak to, and love on foster and adoptive families.

Whether you’re a foster parent, someone who loves one, or just want to be more thoughtful with your words — this episode is for you.

Let’s Connect:
📧 Email: dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com📸 Instagram: @dreamsmallpodcast📘 Facebook: Dream Small Podcast🐦 Twitter/X: @DreamSmallShow

🎵 Music Credit:
“Paradise Found” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this real-life conversation about foster care and faith, Jason and Whitney share what it’s looked like for them to love biological parents through their years of foster care. From fear and tension to empathy and friendship, they walk through the emotional and spiritual journey of learning to honor the first families of the children in their care.

Whether you're just starting out in foster care or years into the journey, this episode will challenge and encourage you to take one more step toward grace.

In This Episode:

• Why loving bio parents didn’t come naturally at first

• The power of perspective: hearing the backstory behind a parent’s pain

• How to protect dignity, even when it’s hard

• Real stories of handwritten notes, bubble bottles, and grace-filled gifts

• Why loving their child well is one of the best ways to love them

• A reminder from Scripture that it's not about us—but about how we love

Key Scriptures:

• Romans 12:10 (NLT): “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”

• Romans 12:9 (NLT): “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them.”

• Matthew 25:35–40 (ESV): “As you did it to one of the least of these… you did it to me.”

Challenge of the Week:

Pick one small way to show grace to a biological parent — even if it’s just a prayer or a kind word in your own heart.

Connect with Us:

• Email: dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com

• Instagram: @dreamsmallpodcast

• Facebook: Dream Small Podcast

• Twitter/X: @DreamSmallShow

🎵 Music Credit:

"Paradise Found" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) | Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this heartfelt episode of Dream Small, Jason and Whitney open up about one of the most emotionally complex topics in their lives: adoption. With vulnerability and honesty, they reflect on the bittersweet layers of adopting their daughter, in honor of her recent gotcha day anniversary—a celebration marking four years since she officially became part of their family.

💡 Key Themes:

The Dichotomy of Adoption

Adoption is both joyful and heartbreaking. While it's a celebration of redemption and new beginnings, it's also rooted in profound loss and brokenness. The Smalls share how this tension has shaped their journey.

Real-Life Adoption Stories

Though they respect their children's privacy and don’t share full details, Jason and Whitney walk through how each of their two adoptive children's stories began—with a weekend of "TLC" that turned into a lifetime, and a pre-birth call that changed their lives.

Emotional Complexity

Whitney reflects deeply on the emotional turmoil leading up to and following their daughter's adoption—especially the bittersweet pain of her birth mother losing parental rights. Jason offers insight into the more even-keeled perspective that balanced their emotional responses.

Theological and Personal Perspective

They connect their experience to the biblical theme of adoption as a picture of God’s redemptive love. Still, they resist simplifying adoption as "God's plan" without acknowledging the trauma and human failure that necessitate it.

Challenging the “Lucky” Narrative

The Smalls explain why well-intentioned comments like “she’s so lucky to have you” fall short. Adoption is not about luck—it’s about healing, trauma, redemption, and a long journey of trust and love.

A Letter from a Mother’s Heart

Whitney reads a powerful, emotional letter she wrote to her daughter the night before the adoption. It’s a raw reflection on hope, fear, and the overwhelming love of a mother who waited so long to make her child “forever hers.”

💬 Listener Takeaways:

• It’s okay to feel conflicted emotions about adoption—both joy and grief can coexist.

• Adoptive families need compassion, support, and space to process the ongoing challenges of trauma and attachment.

• Understanding adoption as part of a broken world in need of redemption creates room for grace—for the child, the birth family, and the adoptive parents.

📌 Resources & Next Steps:

• Follow or subscribe to Dream Small on your podcast platform.

• Share this episode with a friend walking through adoption or foster care.

• Stay tuned for future episodes where the Smalls may invite their kids to share their stories—when they’re ready.

📬 We’d love to hear from you!

• Email: ⁠dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com⁠

• Instagram: ⁠@dreamsmallpodcast⁠

• Facebook: Dream Small Podcast

• X (Twitter): ⁠@DreamSmallShow⁠

"Paradise Found" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/