Money is never the primary reason people decide to adopt, nor should it be. Actually, for many it isn’t even in the equation until you sign on the dotted line with an agency or professional. Hopefully, before you make that commitment, your adoption professional has given some idea of the costs associated with your adoption.
Five Reasons to Consider an Adoption Medicine Clinic Assessment for Your Adopted or Fostered Child
The Adoption Medicine Clinic at the University of Minnesota offers a comprehensive child wellness assessment for children who have experienced early adversity. With a team consisting of a pediatrician or nurse practitioner, occupational therapist, and child psychologist, the assessment includes a medical, developmental, and mental health screening. 1. Children in foster care and those adopted
Is it really my birthday today?
It’s after midnight, which means today is my 57th birthday. Growing up as an adoptee, I always celebrated my birthday without questioning it. But today, I thought… is today really my real birthday? If so, what time was I born? where was I born? who gave birth to me? who is my birth father? do
Our Story: Becoming a Family of Four
A few years back, I told my partner that I wanted to be a dad. He wasn’t on board and didn’t think that he would ever want to go down that road. To my surprise, about five years later, he brought back up the conversation. He asked if I truly meant what I had said.
Considering Concurrent Planning: Is It Right for You?
This content was originally published by North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) Concurrent planning makes a promise to a child: When you enter foster care you will be placed with only one family and that family will see you through reunification with your family, or if reunification is not safe or possible, the foster
Life Skills
Hope will be 18 in a few weeks and in 12 short weeks, she will be off to college. It’s all very exciting, and in some ways, I am a little surprised that she’s not pulling away from me a little. But, no. She’s not pulling away at all. In fact, my lovely daughter is
Missing Mothers: Journey to a Memoir
Five years ago, I took a writing class at The Loft that focused on writing about race. I had much to ponder about this subject because I have two internationally adopted children: a son adopted from South Korea at 4 months of age and a daughter adopted from Guatemala when she was 6 months old.
Photo Album: Recognizing Grief and Loss in Adoption
I remember the day when I first met my son at the adoption agency in Seoul, South Korea. I woke up that morning feeling a range of emotions from complete anticipation, to sheer happiness, to utter anxiety. I waited nearly a year to meet my son and now I was just hours away. As I
Vaccinations and Internationally Adopted Children
Originally published February 9, 2016, updated May 2, 2019. With the resurgence of measles around the U.S. and worldwide and the release of even more publications that have debunked any link between vaccinations and autism, parents are discussing vaccinations more than ever with friends, family and their medical providers. So what is a parent to
Embracing and Teaching Advocacy as Parents of Children with Down Syndrome
As parents to three amazing kids, we’ve found many things to be constant over the years: going to music festivals, a yearly trip to Duluth, nightly walks (when the weather permits), spending time with family, enjoying the lake, and finding any educational activities that we can do to embrace the many cultures in our family.
