When I was a teenager, I was convicted of driving under the influence. It was a long time ago and I am long past those drinking days. Do I need to tell the social worker about it?
Ask AF: What is a Home Study?
I am thinking about adopting, but the idea of a home study makes me nervous. What is it, and do I need to be concerned?
Ask AF: Explaining Adoption to Other Kids
How can our close friends explain our domestic adoption of a five-year-old to their young children, ages three to six?
Ask AF: Books for Understanding the Birth Mothers’ Perspective
Do you know of any books, like I Wish for You a Beautiful Life: Letters from the Korean Birth Mothers of Ae Ran Won to Their Children, written for kids adopted from China?
Ask AF: Writing to the Birth Father
My husband and I adopted a baby boy about four months ago. Much to our surprise, the birth father has decided to file an opposition to the adoption.
Ask AF: When Grandparents Protest Adoption Disruption
We tried therapy, but, in the end, we found a childless family who adopted her. We are at peace with our decision. Our families are not. They say we gave up on our daughter.
Ask AF: The Home Study Report and Family Difficulties
I’m worried that my lack of a relationship with any family members will negatively affect our impending home study report.
Ask AF: Why Just One Adoption Attorney Won’t Do
“Can prospective adoptive parents and birth family share an attorney?” A legal adoption expert explains.
Ask AF: Building a Good Relationship with Your Pediatrician
How can I work with my child’s health care provider to make sure my child gets the best possible care?
Ask AF: A New Sister
We’ve been reading a Big Brother book to our three-year-old son (adopted at birth) to prepare him for the arrival of a six-week-old sister.
Ask AF: An Unknown Birth Father
Our daughter’s birth mother says she has no idea who the birth father is. We don’t know his first name or even the color of his hair.
Ask AF: Explaining Kinship Adoption
My younger daughter adopted her sister’s child. My granddaughter’s now eight, and knows that she was adopted, but she doesn’t know that her “Auntie” is her birth mother.
Ask AF: Years of Sleep Struggles
My seven-year-old daughter, adopted at age three, can’t fall sleep without skin-to-skin contact (stroking her arm or back).
Ask AF: Attachment to One Parent
The two-year-old we’ve adopted lived with her birth mother, and had never been around men before. She wants nothing to do with my husband, which hurts him greatly.
Ask AF: “Was I Bad?”
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?
Ask AF: Adoption Assistance Program
What is an adoption assistance program?
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 Doctor: Asthma
Our child’s referral says he has asthma. How will this affect him? What can we do to optimize his care?
Ask AF: Adoption Visa Clarification
We finalized our daughter’s international adoption a few years ago, but haven’t gone through the naturalization process yet.