You can hold three business degrees and a doctorate in organizational leadership, but nothing audits your crisis management skills quite like opening your home to your grandchildren. Here is how to run your living room like an executive operations center.
Episode Summary:
In Episode 132 of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (@grandparentspodcast), host Laura sits down with Dr. Kristy Smith—author, organizational leadership expert, project management MBA, SPHR certified HR professional, and kinship grandmother who raised two grandsons across three state foster systems. Dr. Smith shares how grand families can transition from reactive firefighting to proactive executive leadership, deploy project management frameworks to navigate legal barriers, and advocate for federal policies where support follows the child rather than titles.
Key Takeaways & Timestamps:
0:00 - Your Living Room is an Executive Operations Center
0:45 - Episode 132 Intro & Dr. Kristie Smith’s Credentials
1:15 - Navigating Foster Systems Across 3 States in 30 Days
3:00 - Project Management Tools for Crisis Home Operations
5:00 - Why Resources Must Follow the Child, Not the Label
7:00 - Managing Adult-Child Dynamics & Enforcing Boundaries
8:30 - Policy Fix: Standardizing Federal Kinship Checklists
Call to Action (CTA):
Subscribe to @grandparentspodcast for weekly leadership strategies, legal clarity, and kinship resources.
Stream Full Audio: Listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify at https://www.grandparentspodcast.com
Access Dr. Kristie Smith’s Books: Order Swiftwater Rescue and Blended Reality at https://kristystandardsmith.com
