Our eight-year-old has been telling his classmates that his birth mother “gave him up” because he was “bad.”
Ask AF: Kids’ Books About Open Adoption
Can you recommend picture books about open adoption?
[Book Review] Born From the Heart
Reactions to Born from the Heart have been mixed.
Ask the Transracial Parenting Expert: Teens and Dating
Our 14-year-old daughter is starting high school this fall. What might we expect in terms of dating?
Ask the Transracial Parenting Expert: Helping Teens Answer Questions About Race
“Last week, my teenage son told me that he was tired of having to explain himself wherever he goes. Why is this happening, and how can I help him?”
“A Mother’s Day Not About Me”
To the birth mother of my three children through adoption, wherever you are, I say thank you for allowing me to be their “other” mommy.
Sharing Difficult Details with Your Child
Experts offer talking tips and sample language for discussing neglect, abuse, abandonment, and other painful parts of your child’s adoption story.
“Re-Celebrating My Daughter’s First Nine Birthdays”
My daughter’s tenth birthday was the first birthday party she’d ever had. Here’s how and why we decided to redo all the others.
Adoption Films for Family Movie Night
Use this guide to plan a family movie night or two this season. These flicks will captivate your kids, and open up adoption talks long after the credits have rolled.
A Mother’s Day Ritual
A simple ceremony with flowers and candles helped my children celebrate their love for two mothers.
What Preschoolers Can Understand About Adoption
When your preschooler asks questions about adoption, use these age-appropriate answers that emphasize your family’s love.
Ask AF: Talking About Adoption with Tweens
My 12-year-old son came home upset the other day—a classmate had told him he felt sorry for him because he doesn’t live with his “real parents.”
Let’s Play Adoption
Want to get your young child to open up about adoption? Stop talking and start playing!
Ask AF: Talking to Preschoolers About Racism
We’re ready to talk to our child, who is black, about racism before she starts school. What should we say?
Talking About Race and Racism
Racism exists, and it’s our job as parents to talk about it with our kids. Here’s an age-by-age guide to handling those conversations.
Responding to “My Real Mom Would Let Me!”
When they’re angry at us, teens may bring up the subject of birth parents. Here’s how to answer calmly.
Budding Curiosity – Adoption Talks with Preschoolers
AF takes you inside the mind of your preschooler, and offers tips for answering their first questions about adoption and talking about how you became a family.
Ask AF: Limited Information About Birth Family
My 5-year-old has been asking a lot about her birth father recently, but I only have information about her birth mother.
Helping Your Child Understand a New Sibling
How to prepare your child for a new sibling.
A Growing Awareness
Between the ages of nine and 12, children register the meaning of adoption–and this can bring harder questions and more complex emotions. AF takes a look at what’s going on in the minds of preteens, and offers advice for talking with them.