Adoption and the Community

The Dating Game
For all teenagers,dating can be exciting, intriguing and daunting. Adolescent adoptees face additional concerns when they begin dating. As their interest in dating heightens, adopted teens may struggle with a myriad of questions. The core of these questions is intricately to the teens' quest for identity, and the answers help to move them towards developing healthy interpersonal relationships. As parents, it is important to provide guidance to your teenager to help them address the complex issues behind their questions. Read more >>

Developing Social Skills
Parents want their children to be liked by others and to exhibit behavior in line with normal expectations for their age. Parents therefore naturally often worry about their child's ability to choose appropriate playmates and develop meaningful friendships. Parents want their child to become "socially competent." Some adopted children, regardless of the innate temperaments, have had early life experiences including breaks in attachments, abuse or neglect, health problems, etc. which may result in emotional challenges that interfere with the development of social competence. Read more >>

School Success = Family Success
For many foster and adoptive parents helping their child be successful in school, not only means giving them a stable and loving home, but also finding out the child's school history and special education needs. It's common sense that children who meet with success at school are more likely to develop sold self-esteem, make positive choices about their behavior, and look forward to their future. School success and positive family relationships often have a reciprocal relationship. Read more >>

Groups for Adopted Kids?
In addition to communication at home, while parents remain the child's most valuable resource, parents need to know that they do not have to be the only resource for their child. They demonstrate support for the children's needs when they find other places where their children can talk about adoption, whether it is with a private, knowledgeable counselor or in a group of other adopted children. In groups, children have the opportunity to explore adoption freely without fear of hurting anyone, saying the wrong thing, or appearing disloyal. Read more >>

Adoption and the Schools
The school environment can be wonderful support for adoptees and adoptive families. If educators are comfortable with the subject of adoption, there are many opportunities to help students learn that adoptive families are permanent and real. The enormous influence of the school enviroment makes it a critical component in the development of children's self-concept, including what it means to be part of an adoptive family. Because teachers are powerful role models, they must understand the emotions of adopted children. Read more >>

W.I.S.E. Up! It's Back to School
Nearly all kids who were adopted by their families are asked questions by well-meaning people to be friendly or just out curiosity. Therefore, parents quickly learn that they must prepare themselves for the questions and develop answers that they are comfortable using in response. It is also important for adopted children and teens to be just as prepared as their parents are. Read more >>

The Value of Role Models in Adoption
Role models help children define what they feel is important and valuable. Children often use them as models of comparison with themselves, and when they believe that they share characteristics, it helps them to believe in themselves. Role models who also happen to be adoptees are particularly important for our children because adoption is a difference that is not shared with many others. Read more >>

Adopted Adolescents in the Classroom
As adopted children enter adolescence, they face additional struggles, which may come out in the classroom. When adopted children become teenagers, feelings of grief and loss may transform into questions of belonging and personal identity. As a result, your adopted teen's behavior at school may also change into a "don't care" attitude at school, and previously responsible or conscientious students may seem to lose focus or have difficulty upholding their usual academic standards. Read more >>

Adopted Children and Their Peers
Adopted children may be asked a variety of questions from their peers. Adoptive parents need to prepare their children by anticipating what may happen. Any situation is easier to cope with if children have been able to consider in advance, the ways that they would be most comfortable responding. Their answers to questions will then be more likely to reflect greater comfort and spontaneity. Read more >>

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