I have received several phone calls or emails this past few days, from parents reading this blog, posting on ATN’s various listserves, or referred to me by individuals. The common theme in their questions for me centers on “Will he heal? Is there hope?”

One dad said, “Life is no fun … all we do is exist. He eats, sleeps and poops—nothing else.” This dad continued his post by describing all the attempts he and his wife have made to engage his son in life. Music lessons, sports, peer-attended social outings, etc. His son is inappropriate, passive-aggressive, disinterested... more

Vermont. I've never been there. But I do know that they lead the country in production of maple syrup. And I like maple syrup, though, I prefer the all natural stuff that my Husband's grandfather makes over the bottled stuff. All sticky-sweet stuff aside, I had hope that a known progressive state would look at Post-Adoption Contact Agreements in a, well, progressive manner. I was somewhat disappointed. They're not totally backwards but there's some room for improvement.

Wipe the syrup off your hands and look with me, will you?

What... more

My husband and I heard this ad on the radio the other day and we both just bursting out laughing. It is a parenting software program that is guaranteed to help you gain control of your out of control child.

Disclaimer: I have never used this product, I only know what I have read and heard in their ads.

Here is a blurb from the company’s website.

We focus primarily on the problem behaviors that prevent a child from getting along with others:... more

A reader e-mailed me and asked if I would share more about my personal story with our home study. I am working through a series about each of the interviews we had as part of the home study process.

In my last post, Home Study: Interview About Expecting Mothers Birthmothers, I talked about the home study interview in which our social worker, C, tried to explain the expecting mother's side of adoption to us. I was not in a place where I could really hear her, but she did... more

I woke up this morning to find that my oldest son had straightened up and swept the front entryway. Not to be outdone, Sissy wanted in, and they both set to work making my breakfast and their dad’s lunch for work.

For the rest of the day, all I had to do was mention something or ask, and it was done! Before you all besiege me with requests to open up a school or offer parenting seminars, let me say, I have no idea what spurred this on! If I had a pill or formula, I would bottle it, but I certainly have appreciated it while it’s lasted!

I had a migraine this... more

This is a reply to a comment left here concerning how I, or other foster parents would know that biological parents were not working their plans.

Biological parents not working their plans are not in most cases a top secret thing from the foster parents or other people involved with the foster children. Yes, there are confidentiality rules that people not involved with the case knowing the information. No, for the record I know this information because I hear it from the biological parents mouths as do most other foster parents.

Case... more

Charlie has a pretty healthy understanding of adoption for the young age of six years old. He knows that he was adopted, that he grew in my tummy, and that I couldn’t care for him at the time so I found his Mom and Dad who could. He knows about other members of his biological family like his grandparents and brother and refers to them as such. He’s not embarrassed or ashamed that he is adopted and openly talks about it to anyone who listens.

I’ve written about this every now and then and after reading those posts, someone recently asked me how A and S have explained things... more

Are you adopting a child diagnosed with pituitary dwarfism or growth hormone deficiency? It can be overwhelming at first. You have a new child in your home and you are trying to create a bond with that child and build a relationship. Yet, each day you must cause your newly adopted child some pain by giving an injection.

The first thing you should do is educate yourself about your child’s condition. Check the children’s department at your local library for books about the endocrine system. Show the pictures to your child. Make sure that you both understand... more

I was recently contacted by a noncustodial parent who needed help in their situation, they wanted to know how to go about willingly terminating their parental rights to a child of theirs. This particular situation is not one that most people would think about when they think about a parent giving up their parental rights in a stepparent adoption.

Most stepparent adoptions are possible because a parent willingly decided that parenting was not for them, and abandoned their child with the custodial parent, however this situation is a tad different, and goes like this;

Once... more

Are you adopting a child that requires daily shots? The thought of giving your new child a shot everyday can be a little intimidating if you don’t have any experience giving injections. It is important for you to become confident in giving the shots for the health of the child you are adopting.

You may want to familiarize yourself with the feel of giving shots by practicing. You can fill your syringe with water and practice injecting the water into an orange or a grapefruit. Try to press the needle quickly through the skin and practice injecting the... more