About Calendar Conversations: A Guide for Adoptive Parents
"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.
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.
10 Jun 2026
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.
13 May 2026
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
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 41 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
58
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
60
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Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Calendar Conversations: A Guide for Adoptive Parents
Who hosts Calendar Conversations: A Guide for Adoptive Parents?
April Dinwoodie host the show. Published by April Dinwoodie.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes monthly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Calendar Conversations: A Guide for Adoptive Parents take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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