Dayshawn is a sweet 13 year old waiting for an adoptive family this holiday season.
He and his Child-Specific Recruiter, Stephanie, spend a lot of time playing games. Especially in their first few meetings, they would take out a deck of cards to play Kings in the Corner, Speed, War, or Uno. Those moments shared over the sound of a shuffling deck helped to build the trust and relationship that encouraged Dayshawn to warm up. Now, Stephanie finds that he’s really open to trying new things when they see each other.
Dayshawn is quite shy and quiet when he first meets someone. His adoptive family will need to be patient as it takes a while for him to open up conversationally and emotionally. But once he opens up, he’s rather thoughtful and polite—he follows up on previous conversations and asks for updates. He also becomes rather funny and charming.
Dayshawn has a number of interests. He loves to spend time in the kitchen cooking or baking, especially when it’s to create his favorite meal: chicken enchiladas! He brags that his food is much better than the food at Taco Johns. A highlight of his Thanksgiving holiday was the opportunity to help his biological family prepare the big meal when he went to visit them.
Like most teens, Dayshawn is also interested in his appearance. He prides himself on looking good and getting in an evening work out. He’d love to wear his favorite brands every day: True Religion, RockRevivals, Nike and Jordans.
As a leader who is committed to personal development, Dayshawn was just selected to be on the peace-keeping committee where he lives. This was a great honor to be one of the few youth given this responsibility. On a personal level, he’s very receptive to therapy, strategies and services that will help him become the best version of himself.
Dayshawn is open to joining a family of any composition, but would prefer that they live in the Twin Cities area. He would like to join a family that is involved in the African American community or has a lifestyle where he won’t feel like he stands out. He dreams of joining a family with a big dog, or an interest in one day getting a pet—his favorite breeds are Pit Bull, Husky, Great Dane and Cane Corso. His adoptive parent(s) should be patient and committed to providing him the structure and supervision he needs to thrive. They must also help him maintain his relationship with his biological aunt and siblings.
Details to Note
The majority of costs to Minnesota clients adopting a child under Minnesota state guardianship are covered by a contract with the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Learn More About Dayshawn
If you would like to know more about Dayshawn, please contact Stephanie Coleman at stephanie.coleman@chlss.org or 651-255-2233. Families may have to provide certain documentation to receive full information.
Meet oTHER WAITING CHILDREN
During December we are advocating for 12 children who currently wait for families. We appreciate any time you take to get to know these children and consider whether your family, or a family you know, could be theirs.
Meet the 12 Waiting Children of December
