By now, you and your teen have established a firm family bond. But outsiders may not see it that way.
“Why Was I Adopted”
Your preschooler may hit you with surprising questions at the most unexpected times and places!
“On Choosing, or Changing, Schools”
As I weighed diversity, academics, and other factors when choosing schools for my transracially adopted children, I perpetually second-guessed myself. But now that my kids are teens, I’m ready to trust their decisions.
“Anniversary”
One year after my daughter came to live with me from foster care, the memory was still too bittersweet for her. But today, two years after becoming mother and daughter, we are ready to celebrate.
Friendships with Fellow Adoptees
Adoptive parents share whether their children have friends who are also adoptees and, if so, how the children met.
“Sometime in the Night”
In this personal essay, a single dad shares the story of the night he met his daughter in China.
The Best Adoption Books for Eager Readers
Now that your grade-schooler is reading on her own, she may rediscover some simple adoption books.
Teens in Search of Romance
Families whose friendships cross racial lines send a clear message about whom their kids can date.
Alleviating Adoptee Stress at School
Every Sunday evening, at the Gordon house, 10-year-old Kelly began complaining about something. Her pains ranged from stomachaches to sore throats. She said she felt too unwell to go to school the next day.
How Did Your First Child React to the Arrival of a Second?
How did you work through sibling issues/rivalries at the time of the adoption and in subsequent years? How about instances in which one child receives more attention than another or silly questions? (Is that your “real” sister?) Our readers respond.
“How I Deal with Nosy Questions”
Our daughter is not a public exhibit. She deserves to be protected from questions that undermine the legitimacy of our family.
“Where We All Belong”
When I was a teen, my parents decided to grow our family by adopting from foster care. How did it feel to suddenly gain four new brothers and sisters through adoption?
Ask AF: Roles and Titles in Kinship Adoption
“I adopted my grandson through a kinship adoption. He’s now six and has recently begun calling me ‘Mommy’ and saying he was in my tummy. Is this OK, or do I need to reiterate that I’m his grandmother?”
Parent-to-Parent: My Favorite Adoption Memory
Adoptive parents and adoptees share their favorite adoption memories from the past year, including first Mother’s Days, finalizing adoptions, and gaining access to open records.
News Brief: Adoptees Retain Subconscious Knowledge of Birth Language
A new study has found that adoptees retain a subconscious knowledge of their birth language and may be able to learn the language more quickly as adults.
Share Your Story: Choosing a Route
We asked our reader panel: “How, and why, did you choose between the different types of adoption?” This is what they shared.
Did Your Family Include a Reluctant Spouse?
Four years ago, my husband and I were happily raising our two daughters by birth when I decided that I was ready to adopt a son of a different race. My husband was content with our family as it was, and I struggled to give him the time he needed to think about adopting.
When It Comes to Homework—Are You Doing Too Much?
Battles over homework can disrupt family life any evening of the school week. To lessen the trauma, parents frequently step in to help and occasionally step over the line. We asked Anita Pollic, a fourth grade teacher at Lebanon Christian School in Lebanon, Ohio, about this important topic.
The Thumb Versus the Pacifier
There’s no reason to introduce pacifiers to older children who’ve been doing just fine without them.
“Our Daughter is Growing Up”
Our only child is away this week. It’s a first for us, 11 busy years after we triumphantly carried our daughter home from the adoption agency.