A 10-year-old recalls the day a foster family became a forever family for him and his sister.
Adoption Celebrations for Every Family
When it’s time to celebrate, we take cues from longstanding traditions and blend in rituals created from scratch. The result? Ceremonies as unique as our families.
“Just a Simple Scar”
A daughter joins her family with a mysterious scar on her leg, adding another piece to the puzzle that is her young life.
“An Imperfect Family” – Remembering My Brother Through Foster Adoption
My family couldn’t give Darrell the storybook life we’d all have liked. But with us, he learned to embrace the joy in life.
“Pushing Past an Older Child’s Barriers”
What we learned about talking about a child’s past and attaching in the present after adopting a 10-year-old from foster care.
Recapturing the Heart of Your Child
When a foster child who has been in your care goes back to live with his birth family, and then comes back to your home, a different child returns.
“Jon’s (Finally) Fearless Smile”
A little boy. His new mom. What ultimately brought the two of them together? Music, sweet, sweet music.
Easing an Older Child’s Adjustment
The transition from foster care to forever family can be difficult on a child. Use these strategies when bringing home an older child.
Ask AF: No Longer the Only Boy
Answers to your parenting questions.
“Becoming Your Mother the Moment We Met”
Still jet-lagged from a 15-hour flight from Los Angeles to Hong Kong, then another to Shanghai and another to your province, I awoke at dawn knowing that this was the day that I would finally meet you—my baby girl.
“Teaching Our Daughter That Her Needs Matter”
My little girl didn’t fuss, never cried, and was utterly compliant. It was up to us to teach her to shove, yell, and demand — and find her voice.
Claiming Your Role as a Parent
Daring to parent an older child who has experienced hurt or neglect in the past will help him learn to trust and love.
What I Wish I Had Known
After the initial adjustment stages, parents who adopt older kids often say, “Why didn’t someone tell me that?” Here are eight of the lessons families I’ve worked with over the past 25 years have learned.
Is There a “Best” Bottle?
Practical aspects of bottle feeding, tailored to your baby’s needs.
Older Child Parenting — The Facts Behind Food Challenges
Our expert explains common feeding challenges with adopted older children, and their solutions.
Adoption Medicine — Formula Facts
Use the following guidelines to help you and your child’s doctor make the best formula choice for your infant.
Adapting Expectations
When you adopt a toddler or an older child, be prepared to encounter some surprising behaviors. Experts and parents share their strategies and successes.
Encouraging Healthy Eating Habits
Now is the time to instill healthy eating habits, in meal choices and snack practices.
Overcoming Sleep Problems
Our newly adopted child has problems sleeping. Some nights, she will resist being put to bed, and will wake up several times through the night. How can we help her get a good night’s sleep?
“Too Soon for a Family Vacation”: Older Child Adjustment
What we should have known before we took our newly adopted 13-year-old on a surprise Disney World vacation.