
NFL Running Back Ricky Watters: How Adoption Shaped My Life
Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption, Foster & Kinship Care
12/04/24
•45m
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Join us for this interview with former NFL Running Back and Super Bowl Champion Ricky Watters. He is an adoptee, an adoptive dad, and author of a new children's book on adoption, A Gift Called Shane.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How old were you when you learned you were adopted and how did you find out?
- When you discovered you were adopted, you mentioned in your NFL movie that it put a big chip on your shoulder. How has that chip served you well as an adoptive dad?
- How has it been a detriment?
- Why did you decide to adopt?
- Why did you decide to adopt internationally?
- Did your experience with finding out late that you were adopted affect the way you discussed adoption with your son?
- Do you see any signs of a similar “chip” in your son that you had when you found out you were adopted? How do you help him navigate it for his own success?
- How did you prepare your biological son for the adoption of his brother?
- How do you support your adopted son in his questions about identity, birth family, etc.?
- Are you in reunion with your biological family?
- How has your adoptive family handled your reunion with your birth family?
- How excited were you for fellow hometown boy Shady McCoy to get into the Eagles Hall of Fame?
- What was your experience with playing at Notre Dame?
Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.
Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:
- Weekly podcasts
- Weekly articles/blog posts
- Resource pages on all aspects of family building
Previous Episode

How Much Should I Prepare Ahead of Time for an Infant Adoption? - Weekend Wisdom
November 30, 2024
•9m
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Question: My husband Sean and I are here in Canada and early in the adoption process. We are looking at private infant adoption through an adoption agency. My question is around getting ready. When we successfully match it is almost a certainty it will be with a newborn and there’s a 30% chance it’s a no-notice match and we have days rather than months to get ready. How would you recommend preparing? Do you think getting a crib, clothes, etc. is overkill? I’m a planner, so I love to be prepared! Thanks!
Resources:
- Suggested Books for Adoption
- Creating a Family Online Support Group
- Transitioning a Child to Your Home
Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.
Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:
- Weekly podcasts
- Weekly articles/blog posts
- Resource pages on all aspects of family building
Next Episode

Do Teens in Foster Care Want to be Adopted? - Weekend Wisdom
December 7, 2024
•3m
Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!
Question: I'm interested in adopting an older teenager (16 or 17). An agency worker shared that many older teens don't want to be adopted, and just want to age out of foster care. Is this true, and if so, is adopting an older teen a reasonable goal?
Resources:
- Foster Care Adoption (Resource page)
- Adoptee & Former Foster Youth Voices
- Foster Care (Suggested Books)
Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.
Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:
- Weekly podcasts
- Weekly articles/blog posts
- Resource pages on all aspects of family building
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