As I prepared to adopt my second child, I welcomed the home study worker into a perfectly clean and ordered home. The scene that greeted her at her post-placement visit was, well, different—but much more real.
“She’s Leaving Home”
As parents, our goal is to raise independent, self-sufficient human beings. But, truth be told, it hurts like a %$#* when you realize you’ve done your job.
“…and so It Goes”
My older son is off at college, and I’ve been heartened to see that his “new normal” includes a maturing and strengthening of the bond between us. I look back to the day I met him, just over eight years ago, and our years of attachment struggles, even as I look to his future, and ours, with hope.
“The Fine Line Between Letting Go and Being Let Go”
I adopted my son as he was entering his teen years, and now, too soon, I have seen him off to college. How will his still tenuous attachment play out when I’m no longer a constant, physical presence in his life?
“Feeling Like Family”
After the divorce, my family felt incomplete. To find the missing piece, I traveled to a Russian orphanage, thousands of miles away.
“Among Friends”
When it comes to socializing, my gregarious daughter has taught me a thing or two.
How to Talk About “Dad” in Single Mother Families
Single-parent homes are more common now, but kids still grapple with the daddy question.
“And Baby Makes Three”
A single mom’s decision to adopt a second time.
“Sometime in the Night”
In this personal essay, a single dad shares the story of the night he met his daughter in China.
Ask AF: Handling a Difficult Adjustment After Older Child Adoption
A single mother who’s adopting a boy from foster care seeks advice on a challenging older child adoption adjustment. Parents who have adopted older children respond.
“My Child, Myself”
What do we teach our children, and what are the born knowing?
“Let’s Be Fair”
At nine, my daughter is becoming aware of the many ways in which the world is unjust, and is doing her part to promote fairness where she can.
Adopting Again as a Single Parent
“What do I need to know about adding to my family?”
“Growing Up”
Five years ago, I walked my daughter to her first day of school. We’ve both evolved in many ways since that morning, and more adventures surely lie ahead.
Going It Alone? Support Options for Singles
“How do I do this alone?” Single parent expert Lee Varon answers.
“A Different Definition of Family”
I am the white, single mother of an eight-year-old Asian girl, whom I adopted when she was six days old. As you can imagine, I have given a lot of thought to “the daddy question.”
“Living the Dream”
As my daughter grows up, a typical, American kid, we are free to imagine only happy endings for the family she left behind.
“Can You Suggest Kids’ Adoption Books for Single Parents?”
Books can help our children make sense of their own stories. They may have questions about things they don’t feel like talking about: being adopted, being raised by a single parent, being raised by gay or lesbian parents.
“Raising California”
Families are forming in all sorts of ways, in a rainbow of colors, and my son through adoption is growing up right in the middle of all of it.
“True Love, Times Two”
I used to wonder whether my love for my son would be more intense if I’d given birth to him. Having a biological child validated the depth of my feelings the first time around.