Dancing with a Porcupine
Parenting Wounded Children Without Losing Your Self
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Narrated by:
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Joana Garcia
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By:
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Jennie Owens
About this listen
You’re a foster parent or you’ve adopted children who’ve already had some years in foster care or spent their crucial early moments in an orphanage. You want so much to help them heal, but here you are at the end of your own rope. The kids are often angry, needy, rude, resentful. In fact, they know too well how to push your buttons.
You feel guilty that, sometimes, you want to just quit. You feel inadequate. How can anyone bear the sadness and pain they’ve gone through and that is now your burden, too?
What can you do? How can you make it through the day? How can you help your kids while also taking care of yourself?
In Dancing with a Porcupine, Jennie Owens shares the compelling story of her struggle to save her own life while caring for three troubled children she and her husband adopted from foster care. How could she stay loving, giving, and forgiving in the midst of a daily battle with children acting out the rage, resentment, and pain of their own traumatic pasts? Is there such a thing as secondary trauma, and if so, what do you do about it? When faith, endurance, and creativity are not enough, what’s next?
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Named after the lager that christened her at birth, Stella's life is characterised instability and neglect. Her teenage mother abandons her in the first few weeks of her life, and left in the 'care' of her father, she ends up lying deserted in a house with no food, no water, no clothes and no warmth. She eventually lands in the care of foster carer Louise, who is determined to change her life for the better.
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Heartbreaking but so wonderful to see a happy ending
- By Amazon Customer on 11-14-24
By: Louise Allen
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Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight?
- Confessions of a Gay Dad
- By: Dan Bucatinsky
- Narrated by: Dan Bucatinsky
- Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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In 2005, Dan Bucatinsky and his partner, Don Roos, found themselves in an L.A. delivery room, decked out in disposable scrubs from shower cap to booties, to welcome their adopted baby girl - launching their frantic yet memorable adventures into fatherhood. Two and a half years later, the same birth mother - a heroically generous, pack-a-day teen with a passion for Bridezilla marathons and Mountain Dew - delivered a son into the couple’s arms.
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A Parenting Book with Humor and Heart
- By The Reading Date on 02-05-14
By: Dan Bucatinsky
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Instant Mom
- By: Nia Vardalos
- Narrated by: Nia Vardalos
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Some families are created in different ways but are still, in every way, a family. Writer and star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding Nia Vardalos firmly believed she was supposed to be a mom, but Mother Nature and modern medicine had put her in a headlock. So she made a choice that shocked friends, family, and even herself: with only 14 hours' notice, she adopted a preschooler.
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Witty and Heartfelt
- By Beth M. Honeycutt on 07-03-24
By: Nia Vardalos
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What a Difference a Mom Makes
- The Indelible Imprint a Mom Leaves on Her Son's Life
- By: Kevin Leman
- Narrated by: Dean Gallagher
- Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Boys will be boys - always. And no one has a more powerful impact on them than you, Mom. Surprise! Your boy wants to please you, and he cares deeply about what you think. Those driving needs will stay with him throughout his lifetime. That gives you, Mom, a lot of influence over your son. You can set him up for success in life. In What a Difference a Mom Makes, the New York Times best-selling author Dr. Kevin Leman reveals how you can make a positive imprint on your son - from the moment you first hold him in your arms until the moment he leaves for college. And the best news? It's never too late to start.
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Overall some solid advice - would recommend to new moms of boys
- By Tania on 04-12-20
By: Kevin Leman
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Hope and Other Luxuries
- A Mother’s Journey Through a Daughter’s Anorexia
- By: Clare B. Dunkle
- Narrated by: Abby Craden
- Length: 22 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Clare Dunkle seemed to have an ideal life - two beautiful, high-achieving teenage daughters, a loving husband, and a satisfying and successful career as a children's book novelist. But it's when you let down your guard that the ax falls. Just after one daughter successfully conquered her depression, another daughter developed a life-threatening eating disorder.
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Potent and Real
- By Susie on 09-17-15
By: Clare B. Dunkle
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Chicken Soup for the Soul - Find Your Happiness
- 101 Inspirational Stories about Finding Your Purpose, Passion, and Joy
- By: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen
- Narrated by: Cynthia Barrett
- Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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What makes you happy? Others share how they found their passion, purpose, and joy in life in these 101 personal and exciting stories that are sure to inspire and encourage listeners to find their own happiness. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Find Your Happiness will encourage listeners to pursue their dreams, find their passion and seek joy in their life with its 101 personal and inspiring stories. This book continues Chicken Soup for the Soul’s focus on inspiration and hope, reminding us that we all can find our own happiness.
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I got even more depressed
- By Tom on 09-08-14
By: Jack Canfield, and others
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Raising Your Spirited Child, Third Edition
- A Guide for Parents Whose Child Is More Intense, Sensitive, Perceptive, Persistent, and Energetic
- By: Mary Sheedy Kurcinka
- Narrated by: Abby Craden
- Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Including real-life stories, this newly revised third edition of the award-winning best seller - voted one of the top 20 parenting books - provides parents with the most up-to-date research, effective discipline tips, and practical strategies for raising spirited children. Do you ever wonder why your child acts the way he or she does? Are you at a loss regarding your child's emotional intelligence and how to prevent meltdowns? Do you find yourself getting frustrated and feeling like you're at the end of your rope?
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Wrong narrator for this book!
- By Amazon Customer on 12-21-17
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Everything You Ever Wanted
- A Memoir
- By: Jillian Lauren
- Narrated by: Jillian Lauren
- Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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In her younger years, Jillian Lauren was a college dropout, a drug addict, and an international concubine in the Prince of Brunei's harem, an experience she immortalized in her best-selling memoir, Some Girls. In her 30s, Jillian's most radical act is learning the steadying power of love when she and her rock star husband adopt an Ethiopian child with special needs.
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Great for adoptive families
- By berry bomb on 07-06-22
By: Jillian Lauren
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Rare Bird
- A Memoir of Loss and Love
- By: Anna Whiston-Donaldson
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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On an ordinary September day, 12-year-old Jack is swept away in a freak neighborhood flood. His parents and younger sister are left to wrestle with the awful questions: How could God let this happen? Can we ever be happy again? They each fall into the abyss of grief in different ways. And in the days and months to come, they each find their faltering way toward peace. In Rare Bird, Anna Whiston-Donaldson unfolds a mother's story of loss that leads, in time, to enduring hope.
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Warning! Tears
- By Madge on 08-16-15
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Hunt, Gather, Parent
- What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans
- By: Michaeleen Doucleff
- Narrated by: Michaeleen Doucleff
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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In Hunt, Gather, Parent, Doucleff sets out with her three-year-old daughter in tow to learn and practice parenting strategies from families in three of the world’s most venerable communities: Maya families in Mexico, Inuit families above the Arctic Circle, and Hadzabe families in Tanzania. She sees that these cultures don’t have the same problems with children that Western parents do.
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I wish they had a professional narrator
- By Anonymous User on 03-26-21
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Bloom
- Finding Beauty in the Unexpected - A Memoir
- By: Kelle Hampton
- Narrated by: Kelle Hampton
- Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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When Kelle Hampton's new daughter was placed in her arms in the delivery room, she knew instantly that something was wrong. As her friends and family celebrated, a terrified Kelle was certain that Nella had Down syndrome - a fear her pediatrician soon confirmed. Yet gradually Kelle embraced the realization that she had been chosen to experience an extraordinary and special gift. With lyrical prose and gorgeous photography, Bloom takes listeners on a wondrous journey through Nella's first year of life.
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Beautiful Story
- By Janelle on 03-10-24
By: Kelle Hampton
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#IMomSoHard
- By: Kristin Hensley, Jen Smedley
- Narrated by: Kristin Hensley, Jen Smedley
- Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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In their highly anticipated first audiobook, the hilarious mom duo with millions of followers explores all the ridiculous shit you’re expected to do to keep multiple humans alive and happy-ish and celebrates the love for the friends who get you through it.
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IRelateSoHard
- By Peekablue on 04-20-19
By: Kristin Hensley, and others
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Idiots
- Marriage, Motherhood, Milk & Mistakes
- By: Laura Clery
- Narrated by: Laura Clery
- Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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A fresh, hilarious, and relatable collection of essays about everything from motherhood and marriage to sobriety and work-life balance (or imbalance) from the nationally bestselling author of the “honest, complicated” (SheKnows) Idiot.
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Tears and laughs!!
- By Anonymous User on 04-07-22
By: Laura Clery
What listeners say about Dancing with a Porcupine
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Rachel Gorsuch
- 05-20-20
Relatable
As a foster parent myself, this entire book felt like a moment of I am so glad I'm not the only one. I was constantly nodding my head in solidarity and understanding. It helped me reframe the way I am approaching a lot of situations with my foster kiddos. Put this on the must read list for foster parents most certainly.
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- Jay Minor
- 06-15-20
Thank God
I truly think God for this book. Fost/adopt living can be so unexplainable & therefore often lonely. I have longed to hear someone who could talk about their experience candidly. The validation was healing for me & gave me hope that I will find my way through.
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- SunniM-shopper
- 01-05-22
A must read for any foster or adoptive parent!!
As a foster parent, this book is so relatable! I am so glad I picked this up. It gives me relief to know I am not alone in how I feel or what I am experiencing. She also gives amazing insight for dealing with challenging times.
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- Amazon Customer
- 06-05-20
Amazing read!!!!
This book was just what I needed! I could relate to so much and it helped me to know I’m not alone.
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- Benjamin E. Bunt
- 02-07-24
Encouragement for Adoptive Moms
This is a great book to read to encourage you as you walk a difficult road of adoption. Well worth your time!
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- Anonymous User
- 08-27-22
So insightful!
Thank you for sharing your experience! It made me have hope for the future and want to really take a look at caring for myself while caring for a child with a traumatic background!
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- Karla Fermamento
- 05-05-24
Would Not Recommend
Being a foster parent is a undoubtedly a demanding and complex role to navigate, but this book is not the roadmap you’re looking for if you’re trying to selflessly make a difference in a child’s life. Please seriously consider your motivation for becoming a foster parent before doing so. Self-care is important, but there isn’t any amount of it that can replace a genuine commitment to changing a child’s life.
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- Joy
- 04-08-21
Robotic narration. True book, but horrific over sharing
So much of the author’s experience is relatable to me as an adoptive and foster mom, but the condescension with which she talks about her kids - let alone the gross over sharing of unnecessary parts of their private stories is painful to listen to and detracted from the good parts of the book. There are helpful tools and takeaways for parenting kids from hard places, but none that aren’t also available in other books. The main take away is: Self care is good. Trauma parenting is hard. God is faithful.
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- heather frady
- 11-20-23
like having a kindergarten teacher read a horror movie script
the woman reading this book drove me nuts. she read the entire thing with the cadence of a kindergarten teacher. If I wasn't in the process of adopting from fostercare there is no way I would have been able to tolerate it.
As for the content of the book: I think it is useful to hear other people's experiences but to remember that they are just that. When Foster parents get information about a child's difficult behaviors things like the constant need for attention or constant hurtful comments don't come but they can wear you down more than something like the child's grades, which is always provided. The fact that she provides these real life glimpses is helpful. However, these are her personal experiences and I don't recommend anyone see them as recommendations. If you are looking for evidence based recommendations (which the title would suggest) look elsewhere.
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