Jeffrey Dennings and his wife, Natalie, didn't become parents until 2006, when Jeffrey was 42 years old. In 2006, they adopted two boys, one of whom they met at the Kinship Adoption Festival in Southfield, Michigan.

"The event is sponsored by the Michigan Adoption Research Exchange and the Dave Thomas Foundation," the Flint Journal reported. "At the time [the Dennings] wanted a toddler. When they arrived, they learned that the older children in tie-dye shirts also were available. Thats where they met Ken, who was 8 at the time."

The Dennings family is now in the process of adopting two more boys, bothers who are 10 and 13. Jeffrey knows that some people call him crazy, but what others call "crazy" he calls "family."

Labels: adopted children, fathers, older_children

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Arrianna and her husband Kent already had three kids, all of them teenagers. So adding two more would be crazy right? Maybe. But it's also been rewarding and fun.

"The Rogers are one of a number of Utah families who have participated with the Save A Child Foundation started by Vern and Nannette Garrett (www.saveachild.cc) that focuses on adopting older kids from poorer countries."

After some initial hesitation, the Rogers adopted two teenagers - Artem and Sasha - from the Ukraine. Arrianna admits that there have been some challenging and discouraging days, but says that she also believes those days would come whether she had five teenage kids or just three. Source: Deseret News

Labels: adoptive_parents, older_children, rewards

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Officials in Norfolk County (United Kingdom) are urging potential adoptive couples to consider older children. Few babies are available, and many older kids are waiting for a home. Now, couples who have adopted older kids are joining in the plea.

"They said: 'Adoption is not about meeting the needs of childless couples like us, however harsh that sounds. It is about giving children who have had sad starts to their lives a second chance for love, stability and happiness.'"

Many people prefer adopting babies because they don't think babies will have any emotional issues. But officials and adoptive parents agreed that babies are no less likely to have emotional baggage than older kids - it may just take longer for the problems to surface. Source: EDP24

Labels: older_children, adoptive_families, advice

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'Welcome Home, Forever Child' was written and illustrated by Christine Mitchell. It tells the story of a family who adopts an older child (older being a toddler or pre-schooler). The book is written in a poetic, iambic pentameter style, which makes it very appealing to younger children.

"Christine's inspiration for writing the book came after she and her husband adopted their younger daughter from foster care when she was four. 'I was disappointed by the scarcity of picture books depicting adoptive families like ours,' says Christine."

What makes the story even more fun is that the 'family' is actually a family of cats who wear funky, human clothes. Though it's lighthearted, the book conveys a positive message as the parents promise to love their new child forever. Read more at AdoptionBlogs.com.

Labels: support, older_children, adoptive_families

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