“We have always tried to make sure our internationally adopted son feels proud of his heritage. This year, when the class was writing about Thanksgiving, he asked if he could skip the assignment because people from his birth country do not celebrate Thanksgiving. I know I need to talk to him, but I’m not sure where to start.”
Should I Send My Child to Culture Camp?
“My child is approaching an age where I am thinking about sending her to culture camp. Is this something I should pursue or not?” Our panel of adult adoptees responds.
“How I Parent My Transracial Family”
Like all mixed race families in America, we face stereotyping as a matter of course. These six lessions have helped enrich my family.
“Amanda’s Journey Home to Her Birth Country”
“You belong to two heritages-Jewish and Latin American-and at this special time in your life, when many Jewish families travel to the Mideast, we’re heading south.” More than a few heads turned when I announced this in my speech to my thirteen-year-old daughter, Amanda, on the occasion of her bat mitzvah.
“Keeping Up Appearances” – Our Skin and 4C Hair Care Routine
As the parents of four black children, we drop a small fortune on lotion and products and build time into our schedule to style their hair, all the while questioning whether we know what we’re doing. A recent conversation offered some much-needed reassurance.
Post-Arrival Medical Evaluations
Your guide to identifying medical problems common to internationally adopted children.
Preparing Our Children to Talk About Race
When you form a transracial family, you must build in a system to combat racism.
Raising a Racially Ambiguous Child
We asked our reader panel: Have you ever been asked to explain your child’s ethnic identity? How do you respond?
“Our Passage to India”
Traveling to our daughters’ birth country allowed us to bond, both with their ethnic heritage and our fellow travelers.
Motherhood? Me? You’ve Got to Be Kidding!
Having children was something that other people did. But giving birth has given me a sense of connection I never felt before.
“Looking for Answers in Guatemala”
When it came to locating our daughter’s birth mother in Guatemala, we didn’t know where to begin. But we knew that we had to try.
“Visiting Our Son’s Birth Country: The Land of Contrasts”
“Make the trip, you won’t be sorry.” Our journey to our son’s birth country—and to visit his foster mother—was an exhilarating experience.
Race Matters at Pact Camp
A summer heritage camp that’s all about helping transracial families.
Book Review: Finding Miracles
This story of a teen adopted from Latin America tackles questions of identity, race, birth culture, and more.
“Can Black Children Wear Watermelons?”
Many symbols commonly found on children’s clothing connote racist stereotypes of black people. Knowing this, should transracial adoptive parents still dress their black children in onesies and shirts featuring monkeys, zebras, and watermelons?
“Our Summer Vacation House Swap”
One summer, we traded our Hawaiian home for Berkeley, CA so our son could learn about more ethnic differences and similarities.
Heritage Camp: It’s for the Whole Family
I can’t imagine sending my children to an experience this profound without being with them.
“Memory Givers”
As parents, we shape the memories our children will carry through their lives. What a delightful, and intimidating, prospect!
“5 Things I Wish My White Parents Knew”
Transracial adoptees often grow up knowing that their families love them, but not truly feeling included or close to them. Here’s what would have helped in raising a black child in a white family and a racist world.
“My Child is Being Teased at School”
Sometimes school brings tough situations, like teasing, tricky assignments, and nosy questions. When should kids handle things on their own, and when should a parent step in?