If you've adopted a post-institutionalized child who is at least 5 years old, you have faced the dilemna of whether or not your child is ready for school. If your child doesn't yet speak English, you may not be comfortable placing them immediately into school. Sitting in a classroom for 6 or more hours a day when you can't understand a word that is being said can be quite overwhelming.

Some parents don't have a choice in whether or not to keep their child at home a bit longer because they must return to work. Other parents feel... more

Yesterday, I offered 3 tips for helping your child overcome his or her fears of the dark. Today I would like to discuss three more.

If you have lullabies or other soothing music that can help your child fall asleep more easily, put the music in a CD player, turn it on very softly and leave it on repeat, so should she wake up frightened in the middle of the night, she will have her comforting music to lull her back to sleep. If your... more

I've pondered the situation at Virginia Tech since I heard it on the news yesterday. What would push someone to commit such a heinous act? How long had Cho Seung-Hui been plotting the killings? Did he have any friends, or did he only have acquaintances? Could many of the deaths have been avoided had they closed down the campus after the first shootings in the dormitory?

As I pondered some of these questions while talking to a friend, she replied, "It doesn't really matter. There's... more

This morning I gave my mother and Gracie an extra I love you and hug after I read our morning devotions and said our prayers before I headed off to school. An hour and a half earlier my dad came into my room to kiss me good morning and to pray with me before it dawned on me the events that happened at Virginia Tech yesterday morning. So many times I have told my family I love them just as a force of habit without really stopping and thinking about the meaning behind those three little words. This morning those words meant a whole lot... more

Being a good sibling also means being a good daughter or son. Before the adoption of Gracesyn, I never knew the effort my mom and my dad had to put into raising me. Since the adoption of Grace, I understand and appreciate a little more about the hard work it takes to care for a little one. As a small thank you to my parents I can help them out as they care for the needs of a busy toddler. Here are a few suggestions you may want to consider to help your parents.

After a long day at work, coming home to care for a little one while cooking... more

In my previous post, I discussed being afraid of the dark. Some adoptive parents who have never experienced this fear pooh-pooh the idea when their children mention it.

I've often read of parents on adoption groups talking about making their new child "cry it out" when night time rolled around because they don't want their child to be dependent on them at night time. One mother stated she let her newly arrived 6 year old child sit on the... more

When I was a young child I was deathly afraid of the dark. I'm not sure what led to my fear, but after turning out the light I would run and jump into my bed, making sure that I didn't touch the tile between the throw rug and my bed. The rug was safe...sort of like "home" in Hide and Seek. After getting in bed, if I tucked my sheets and blankets under my legs, then nothing under my bed could reach up and grab me.

Of course a monster under the bed made no sense, because I always made sure to check under there before... more

Any parent can tell you the woes of getting a child to bed...especially one who does not want to be there or stay there. "Mah-ahm (spoken in two elongated pitches), I'm thirsty," "Mom, I need to go to the bathroom", or "Mom, I need the hall light on". The list can seem endless at the end of a long day when you just want the little ones in bed so you can have some time for yourself.

Over on the adoptive parenting blog, Theresa wrote about afterschool... more

Waiting for your child to come home when you are trying to adopt can be both a trying and exhausting experience. As an adoptive mother, I often felt that the theme for my life should have been “hurry up and wait.” Even from the beginning when I would rush through parts of my dossier that I could control, I would find myself stuck waiting on a social worker to get around to finishing my homestudy.

If you’ve adopted internationally, you know how emotionally exhausting it can be to wait for your I-171H approval from the Immigration... more

When I was offered the book "Forever Lily: A Unexpected Mother's Journey to Adoption in China" to review, I was thrilled. Having adopted two boys from China, I love a good Chinese adoption story. Two of my favorites are "The Waiting Child: How the Love of One Orphan Saved the Life of Another," and "... more