Help your teen adoptee overcome fear of leaving home with this advice.
“What Do I Tell My Teen About His Birth Father?”
Your teen will want to know more about his birth father—and his birth parents’ relationship.
Talking to Teens Who Don’t Want to Talk to You
It’s important to look for those natural, easy times when personal, tender issues can be touched upon.
Searching for Answers…with Google?
The Internet requires a cautious approach when teens are looking for answers about adoption.
“How Do I Fit Into My Family?”
As your teen heads toward adulthood, she’ll strive to discover who she is.
Ask AF: Sharing Painful Birth Parent News with My Child
“I just discovered that my daughter’s birth mother died. My daughter is a preteen and rarely asks about her birth parents. Should I tell her this now, or wait? And, if so, how do I bring it up?”
When Classmates Ask
How can you help your child answer adoption questions with confidence—and handle any queries that come your way?
Stepping Back at School
As your child progresses through elementary school, she should take more responsibility for handling tricky assignments. Here’s how to hand off the reins.
Exploring Family Roots at School
The family tree assignment is a perfect opportunity to answer your child’s questions about adoption.
Adoption Through a Child’s Eyes
By tuning in to what children understand about adoption at different ages, our talks become richer, more intimate, and ultimately more effective.
How Preteens Can Answer Prying Questions at School
How to help your middle schooler cope with curious peers.
Adoption at the Movies
Films with adoption or foster care storylines, or with themes of separation, identity, or belonging, can spark tough, must-have conversations with your children. Ready to start watching—and talking? Start with one of these recommendations.
“A Balanced View of Adoption”
With such a spectrum of opinions about adoption, it’s hard to know if we talk about it too much, or not enough, and in the right way. But watching my son navigate adoption comments at school reassured me of his comfort with it.
Ask AF: My Child Said He Loves His Birth Mother More
“My six-year-old has been asking a lot of new questions about adoption and his birth mother. He’s also told us that he loves her more than he loves us. How should we respond?”
Navigating the Teen Years, Part 1: Setting “Adoption-Sensitive” Limits
As a teen, your child still needs and wants you to be a strong parent—not in a controlling fashion, but as a reliable authority in his or her life. Read on for 10 ways to establish yourself in this role.
Ask AF: New Feelings About Adoption as a Teen
“After years of seeming OK about being adopted, my teenage daughter has become sad and angry about it recently. How can I help her deal with her new emotions?”
Dealing with the Unwanted Spotlight
When children enter a family as older children or teens, or even when older children who are adopted move from one school setting to another, some of the ordinary issues of school life can become complicated for them.
Confronting Stereotypes and Prejudice About Adoption
“Adopted Teen Arrested,” the newspaper headline reads (never “Birth Teen Arrested”). Is this just another example of sensationalism by the media or do adopted teens get into more trouble than their non-adopted peers?
Privacy, Please!
Surprised by your grade-schoolers sudden need for personal space? Don’t be. It’s normal.
What’s on Their Minds?
As grade-school kids learn more about adoption, they begin to ask more questions. How do you respond?