This content was originally published by Creating a Family, the national infertility education and support nonprofit. In an interview on Creating a Family Radio Show Dr. Richard Barth, Dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Maryland School of Social Work, said something that startled me. “The more educated the parents and
Young Couple Adopts Sooner Than Expected
Before they married, Ryan and Emily talked about becoming adoptive parents. After serving in Uganda as Peace Corps volunteers and returning to Minnesota in 2013, they attended an adoption information meeting at Children’s Home and LSS. “We realized the greatest need was for adoptive parents for older kids in foster care,” said Ryan. “We walked
2019 SWS Welcome Home Program
A 7-day program for adoptees to experience their birth country of Korea Social Welfare Society in South Korea invites adoptees to apply for their annual Welcome Home program. The hope is to help adoptees better understand Korean culture, volunteer in their birthland, and build connections with volunteers in Korea. Details of the Program The program
9 Essential Things Adoptive Parents Must Do Before Their Child Turns 13
This content was originally published by Creating a Family, the national infertility education and support nonprofit. The elementary school-age years are an important time for parents to lay the foundation for the potential turbulence of adolescents. What can parents do to help their children process adoption in the ages between 6 and 12? We’ve come
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
Meet Edward | A quiet teen interested in exploring his culture
At 16 years old, Edward is like many teen boys—he loves watching horror movies, listening to heavy metal music and playing Call of Duty. “He’s very quiet and introverted so it takes him a while to open up. But once you get him talking about something he’s interested in, that’s where he really shines,” shares
Parenting Tips for a Parentified Child
This content was originally published by Creating a Family, the national infertility education and support nonprofit. A typical dynamic with siblings in neglectful and dysfunctional homes is for one child, often the oldest, to take on the roles of the parent in providing for the physical and emotional needs of the younger siblings. Very often
Meet a 9-Year-Old Athlete Waiting for a Supportive Family
This young boy with a love of sports will turn 10 next month! A fan of América de Cali, every day you can find JV on the soccer field improving his skills. He can also be found in the pool twice a week for swim lessons—an activity he enjoys. But he won’t stop there, he
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.