The Parenting Different Podcast is the go-to show for adoptive parents who want to raise children who feel seen, heard, and truly valued. Hosted by Anna Bernacki, CEO of Parenting Different, this podcast blends expert insight with real lived experience from adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive families.
The Unseen Impact Of Loving Your Adopted Child's Birth Mother Well | Leah Outten & Kaylee
There are a lot of conversations about open adoption, but few include the voices of the people actually living it. This episode offers a unique glimpse into what a relationship between an adopted adult and their birth mother can look like when their childhood is shaped by trust, intentionality, and adults who consistently put the child at the center.
In this episode, I sit down with birth mother Leah Outten and the daughter she placed for adoption 22 years ago, Kaylee, to talk about what happens when an open adoption is built on trust, humility, and a shared commitment to putting the child first. We talk about jealousy, grief, identity, the hard transitions after visits, and why big emotions don't mean something is wrong. Most importantly, you'll hear what healthy open adoption can look like through both a birth mother's and an adoptee's perspective.
If you're an adoptive parent wondering how to love your child well while honoring the people who came before you, this is a conversation you don't want to miss.
9 Aug 2026
School Through an Adoptee's Eyes with Lauren Haas
School isn't just a place where children learn math and reading. For many adoptees, it's also where they begin asking deeper questions: Am I safe? Do I belong? Will people understand me?
In this episode, Anna sits down with adoptee, school counselor, and author, Lauren Haas, for an honest conversation about what it's really like to navigate school as an adopted child. Together, they explore why behavior is often communication, how adoption can show up in both the "easy" student and the child who struggles, and why curiosity is one of the greatest gifts a teacher can offer.
Whether you're an adoptive parent preparing for a new school year, an educator who wants to better support adopted students, or simply someone who loves a child impacted by adoption, this conversation will help you see beyond the behavior and understand the heart behind it.
You'll walk away with practical insight, greater compassion, and a renewed understanding of how one safe, caring adult can change the trajectory of a child's school experience.
3 Jul 2026
It's Not Just Hair: What Every Parent Needs to Understand About Identity, Dignity, and Connection
What if one of the greatest opportunities to build trust with your child has been hiding in plain sight? In this powerful conversation, Anna sits down with Tamekia Swint, founder of Styles 4 Kids, to unpack why hair care is so much more than learning the right products or mastering a braid. It's about identity. It's about dignity. It's about helping children of color feel seen, valued, and proud of who they are. Together they share honest stories about the fear, shame, and overwhelm so many transracial adoptive and foster parents experience, while offering practical hope for creating connection instead of conflict.
This episode challenges the way we think about hair, reframing it not as a luxury or an optional skill, but as a basic part of caring for a child well. You'll walk away understanding why "hair day" can become one of the most meaningful bonding experiences in your home, why community matters more than another YouTube tutorial, and how something as simple as learning to care for your child's hair can strengthen their confidence for years to come. If you're raising a Black or biracial child, this conversation has the potential to change not just how you do hair, but how you parent.
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