As a white mom learns about her black child’s hair, both come of age.
Adoption, Race, and Parenting at Camp
A summer heritage camp that’s all about helping transracial families.
Ask AF: When Preteens Face Prejudice
My 12-year-old, adopted from China, has recently been saying she doesn’t want to go to school. Last night I finally got her talking. She said, “There are kids who disrupt the class and are racist. They tell Asian jokes.” Her school is diverse, but there are few Asian students. How can I help her?
“What Being Asian Means to Her”
At 13, my daughter is still figuring out who she is. Race is one part of the picture, adoption is another.
“Why Am I the Only One Who’s Pink?”
Being Mom to “virtual twins”—one African-American, one white; one adopted, one biological—has taught me to validate both of my children for who they are.
Classroom Consciousness
Finding the right school for your child is a personal, and sometimes emotional, process — especially when considering diversity and academic excellence.
“Should I Proclaim My Family’s Multiracial Identity?”
My son’s Mexican heritage is not apparent to others. Is it my responsibility to identify ourselves as a multiracial family?
“Blurring the Line”
Mississippi has the largest population of African Americans in the United States, and the color line seems to be drawn in permanent ink or, perhaps, in blood. Because of this, I always believed I would never go back after my daughters came home from Haiti.
“Beating the Odds”
My prison birth could have set me up for a life of failure. But the love of my families has led me to one of resilience and hope.
“The Rhythm of Our Lives”
While looking to connect with our children’s culture, we found the beat of the djembe drum would become a comforting family melody.
“A Dollhouse Family Just Like Ours”
Buying a dollhouse for my daughter’s third birthday was a cinch. Finding the right family to live in it was a bit more difficult.
Ask AF: Teen Friendships
Answers to your parenting questions.
Finding Role Models of Your Child’s Race
Answers to your parenting questions.
Dealing with Stereotypes
When our children get hit with negative — or positive — labels, it robs them of who they really are.
“Braiding Barbara’s Hair”
As the white mother of an African American daughter, I learned more than I ever could’ve imagined about hair.
[Book Review] In Their Parents’ Voices: Reflections on Raising Transracial Adoptees
In this sequel to In Their Own Voices, by Rita J. Simon and Rhonda Roorda, we meet the parents of transracial adoptees, and hear firsthand what it was like raising children across racial and cultural lines.
When to Let Kids Handle Racism On their Own
Answers to your parenting questions.
[Book Review] The English American
Alison Larkin’s semi-autobiographical novel centers on an adoptee — raised in England, but born in America. Read the review, here.
[Book Review] In Their Own Voices
In this collection of candid interviews, adoptees shed light on the complex and controversial topic of transracial adoption by sharing their own experiences.
Celebrating Diversity: Great Reads Featuring Multiracial Families
Children’s books featuring kids and adults of diverse backgrounds and ethnicity serve two purposes: They show kids that families “come in all sizes and colors,” and they are self-affirming for children of multiracial families. Here are some of our favorites, age by age.