Adoption Issues: November 2008

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Parents: Teach Children to Celebrate their Adoption

Telling a child that he or she is adopted has often been portrayed as a difficult, even ominous, task. But Dr. James Dobson believes that celebrating the adoption, even when the child is very young, helps set a different tone.

Celebrate two birthdays with equal gusto each year: the anniversary of her birth, and the anniversary of the day she became your daughter... This is the point: The child's interpretation of the adoptive event is almost totally dependent on the manner in which it is conveyed during the early years.

By celebrating the adoption, you're teaching your child that adoption is a joyous event and a tremendous blessing. It will set the tone not only for the adopted child, but for friends and siblings as well. Source: Sun-Herald (MS)

Labels: celebration, joy, pride

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Honesty Best Policy for Adopted Kids

When kids learn that they're adopted, they can ask some difficult and potentially awkward questions.

What's the best way for a parent to respond? A former professor of pediatrics advised telling the child his biological parents are dead -- but Dr. James Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family, strongly disagrees.

I am unwilling to lie to my child about anything. I would not tell him that his natural parents were dead if that were not true. Sooner or later, he will learn that he has been misled, which could undermine our relationship and bring the entire adoption story under suspicion.

Most experts advise telling the child as much as you feel he needs to know - or as much as you think he can handle - but don't lie. And turn the conversation away from the reasons his biological parents gave him up, and focus instead on how grateful you are to have him. Source: Sun Herald (Biloxi, MS)

Labels: adopted_childrens, honesty, questions

Friday, November 21, 2008

Former Foster Child Helps Raise Awareness about Adoption

By the age of 16, Deidre had lived with three foster care families, two of which considered adopting her. Neither adoption worked out, and when the second fell through, Deidre said, she closed off her emotions to avoid being hurt again.

"Unknown to her, however, the Hills had spotted her on an ongoing... television news feature, 'A Gift of Love,' in October 2006. The segment prompted them to search the Internet, where they located Deidre on the Heart Gallery website."

Two years later, with the adoption complete, Deidre is helping other members of her Kiwanis Club to create an adoption exhibit in conjunction with "Why Not Me?," a Texas campaign to raise awareness about the adoption needs of older foster care children. Source: Longview (TX) News-Journal

Labels: awareness, foster_families

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Strike Delays International Adoption

When Dulcie and John Becker headed to Columbia to finalize the adoption of their five-month-old son, they expected to be gone for a few days. Instead, they've been out of the country for nearly seven weeks.

"The Beckers have been keeping friends and family updated by a website, as they've waited for the end of a 44-day-long Columbian court workers' strike that has prevented them from getting the judge's signature they need to bring [their son] home to Minnetonka."

Dozens of families are in the same situation, waiting first for the strike to end and then for the courts to catch up on a backlog of cases. Strikes aren't unusual in Columbia - but they typically last only a few days. Now that the strike is over, the Beckers and families who are in similar situations are hoping for swift returns to the United States. Source: KARE 11 News (MN)

Labels: international

Monday, November 17, 2008

Nebraska Reconsidering Safe Haven Law

Another teenager was left at a Nebraska hospital recently, bringing the number of children abandoned under the state's "Safe Haven" law to 24. None of the children have been newborns, and three have been from out of state.

"When lawmakers tackle the issue at a special session on Nov.14, they will find no national consensus on what the age limit should be... Speaker of the legislature, state Sen. Mike Flood, a Republican, said he will introduce a bill establishing a 3-day-old age limit, but the legislature could change that."

There is currently no national standard for Safe Haven law age limits. The laws are created to provide a way for parents to leave a child they can't care for at a hospital, police department, or fire station. According the laws in most states, parents relinquish all rights, and the child becomes immediately available for adoption. Source: Associated Press

Labels: laws, safe-haven, teens

Friday, November 14, 2008

Foundation Makes Available Foster Care Adoption Kit

In honor of November being National Adoption Month, and November 15th being National Adoption Day, the Dave Thomas Foundation has developed a Foster Care Adoption Awareness Toolkit.

"[The kit] offers free suggestions and resources to promote foster care adoption awareness, including A Child is Waiting: A Step-by-Step Guide to Adoption. This year's toolkit also features a special post-adoption section sponsored by Jockey International's Jockey Being Family initiative."

The free kit can be downloaded at www.davethomasfoundationforadoption.org. More than 129,000 of the children in the U.S. foster care system are available for adoption. Some of these children will wait as long as five years before being adopted. Source: PR Newswire

Labels: awareness

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

South Dakota Church Honored for Adoptions

Adoption is a life-changing decision for both parent and child. It's also an expensive decision, the costs of which can prevent some would-be adoptive parents from even beginning the process. The people at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Sioux Falls, S.D., know this - and they also know they can turn to their church for help with adoption costs.

"Saturday, Sen. Tim Johnson recognized the church as honorees of the 2008 Angels in Adoption award. He heard from families facing their own challenges of adoption. They told him without the help of their church it wouldn't be possible."

The money in the church's adoption fund was originally earmarked for a new facility, but with adoption costs rising, church leaders felt the money would be better invested in new families instead of a new building. Source: KSFY News (SD)

Labels: awards, expenses, support

Monday, November 03, 2008

More Men Adopting Alone

From the time he submitted his application, Jose Arevalo had to wait for three years before he was able to adopt. Arevalo represents a new trend, as more single men explore adoption possibilities.

"In August, a report by the National Center for Health Statistics identified more than 73,000 single male adoptive fathers in the United States. Although there are no previous reports for comparison, it is believed the number of single adoptive fathers is rising..."

Though the general trend of single parenthood started with mothers, single fathers are now becoming more common. Jose and his son, Michael, have now been together for two years. Source: Review Journal (Las Vegas)

Labels: fathers, men, single_parenting

Saturday, November 01, 2008

International Panel Promotes Foreign Adoption

At a recent conference on international adoption that was held in Moravia, a panel of European experts stressed the importance of encouraging the adoption of Czech children by foreigners.

"A mere 277 Czech kids have been adopted by foreign families since 2000, when the Czech Republic ratified a Hague convention on adoption and child protection. These children, predominantly of Roma origin, often find their new homes in Denmark, Germany or Italy."

Lenka Pavlova, director of the government Office for International Legal Protection of Children, cited prejudice on the part of many Czech parents as a main reason that international adoption of Czech children needs to be made easier. Racism and prejudice against underprivileged children prevent many Czech families from adopting, Pavlova said. Source: Prague Post

Labels: foreign_adoption, international