My blood pressure in Wal-Mart today must have been about 200/100. It’s normally 110/70. Why the increase? I stood in line behind a woman who was determined not to pick up her screaming child from her cart. He wasn’t more than 12 or 13 months old and yet when it was time to go and she finished paying, he paused for a second in his screaming as if he thought, ‘Yes, she will finally pick me up.” Instead, as my mouth gaped open, she put him on the floor and made him awkwardly toddle out of the store holding her hand all... more

Children who have had less than desirable experiences as babies and young children will probably have missed many important experiences that aid in attachment to their caregivers. The baby who cries and is not picked up soon learns that crying doesn't merit a response. For those who have volunteered in or visited orphanages, the almost eerie silence is something that is often mentioned. I have had opportunities to visit orphanages in China and volunteer in orphanages in Haiti, and the silence for the number of babies present is almost... more

I love Easter. I think I love it even more than Christmas, because Easter gives me a message of hope like no other. Had there been no Easter, the birth of Christ and Christmas would not have had much meaning.

Coming from a Communist country, Caleb has not had any experience with Easter until this year. I have struggled over the past two weeks, trying to decide if we would introduce the concept of the Easter bunny to him or not. I've never been wild about the fictional characters such as Santa... more

Yesterday evening we took the kids to the park to fly kites, ride bicycles, and kick around a soccer ball.

To me, there is something magical about flying kites. Watching a kite dance in the wind is very soothing to my soul. Who needs meditation, when you can fly a kite instead?

I was more than willing to lie down on the cool and slightly damp, green grass to rest as I held onto the kite string. As I felt the kite tug as if it wanted to go further, I thought of my children and how each one of them has developed.... more

Caleb has now been home just shy of 3 months, and although I hear magical tales from other parents of how their child is practically fluent in English by this time, I just don't buy it. At least not for an 11 year old. One mother whose child has only been home one month longer than Caleb even sent a letter to a listserv I am on, bragging about her daughter's English prowess in reading and writing as well. Either this child has an IQ of 150 with previous English experience, or her Mom had done some serious editing.

Oh well...each child in their own due time. Caleb still struggles to express himself in English even though his receptive English skills have really taken off. Today... more

Should you adopt out of birth order? Often people want to be told yes or no to such a question, but like any parenting decision, the issue is not black or white. A variety of factors are involved, with the dynamics and personalities of the children already in your home being a major factor.

Some adoption specialists will tell you that the safest route to take is to bring home a child who will be the youngest in the family. After all, if you gave birth, that is how it would be, and that way you... more

Easter is one of my favorite times of the year. This is the perfect time to teach your siblings about the true meaning of Easter. When I was younger I remember my Sunday school teacher baking Resurrection Cookies and bringing them to class to explain the Easter story. This recipe needs to be prepared the night before Easter and is a wonderful way of making the Easter story come alive to little ones. So grab your apron and have fun!

You will need: 1 cup whole pecans 1 teaspoon vinegar 3 egg whites A pinch of... more

My little sister Gracie and I are eleven years apart. She is two and a half and I am fourteen. Some of my friends with adoptive siblings do not have that big of an age difference. My point? How do you connect with your sibling when there is a big age difference? Maybe there is a small age difference between you and your sibling and you are looking for ways to connect with them? I have found that doing some things that Gracie enjoys doing are actually really fun.

For the girls I have found that having a tea party is a great... more

It's funny how sometimes you look and look for something, only to find that what you wanted all along was right in your own backyard.

That is how it has been with shampoos for my children of color. When Ben came home six years ago from China, his hair was incredibly dry. I tried a plethora of different conditioning shampoos, but none seemed to do much for his hair. When we were at a Families with Children from China event, I looked around and noticed that many of the little girls in attendance also had... more

The beauty of adopting a child when he or she already has siblings at home, is that your new child can look to the others for reassurance in an unfamiliar and possibly frightening situation.

Today was Caleb's first trip to the dentist. We prepared him by showing him photos of people in the dentist's chair, and reading him a couple of picture books about going to the dentist. Although we already had the books listed below, they are ones that should be readily available at your public library.... more