My greatest joy, becoming a mother, happened because both of my children lost the one person no child should have to lose.
How to Start a Parent Support Group
Start small, find like-minded members, and grow with your kids.
“Why I Attend Adoption Conferences”
As I listened to the haunting soundtrack recently, I realized that The Truman Show is also about adoption. As the realization of his life dawns on Truman, he confronts his fears, leaves his home, and runs straight to the only person who has ever told him the truth.
Letters to the Editor, RE: March 2017
Readers share feedback about articles published in the March 2017 issue of Adoptive Families magazine.
Parent-to-Parent: Post-Adoption Contact Agreements
Parents in open adoptions share whether they have a post-adoption contact agreement with their child's birth parents and, if so, what it includes.
News Brief: Alabama Is the Latest State to Pass Discriminatory Adoption Law
Several states have passed or are considering laws that would allow adoption agencies to deny services to LGBT individuals and couples.
“They Are Not Lucky; We Are All Blessed.”
As parents, we are neither selfish nor selfless, but we are surely blessed.
News Brief: Further Decline in International Adoption Numbers, and Ongoing Challenges
In its 2016 annual report, the U.S. Department of State released the latest international adoption statistics, which have declined for the twelfth straight year, and outlined other countries' most widely held concerns.
News Brief: Ethiopia Suspends Adoptions
In late April 2017, Ethiopia announced an immediate suspension of international adoptions.
10 Simple Ways to Have a Happier Family
Wish you could slow down and take the time to really connect with your kids? Here's how to slip small moments of love and closeness into the busiest days.
Ask AF: Four-Year-Old Expressing Negativity About Her Skin Color
The mother of a preschooler shares her concern about negative comments her daughter has been making about her skin color. Parents who have been there offer advice.
Ask AF: New Feelings About Adoption as a Teen
"After years of seeming OK about being adopted, my teenage daughter has become sad and angry about it recently. How can I help her deal with her new emotions?"
News Brief: Call to Submit All Outstanding Post-Adoption Reports
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has designated May 15, 2017 "Post-Adoption Report Day" and issued a call for families that adopted internationally to submit any missing reports to their children's countries of origin.
“My Single Mother’s Legacy”
A cry in the night reminds one mother how much families have changed and how much love stays the same.
When Shady Neighbors Come to Call
When potential neighbors were looking at the house for sale next door, this mom of a biracial child mas mainly worried they wouldn't be friendly or would paint their house purple — until race came up.
When My Parents Divorced
A woman shares the story of her adoptive parents' divorce.
How Will We Teach Our Child About Her Culture?
Even after twenty years, adoptive families are still grappling with some of the same issues and questions about raising their children in an interracial family.
“And Baby Makes Three”
A single mom's decision to adopt a second time.
Hosting an Exchange Student
Yuka didnt teach us Chinese language, traditions, or cooking. What she did provide, however, was an excellent role model.
Dealing with the Unwanted Spotlight
When children enter a family as older children or teens, or even when older children who are adopted move from one school setting to another, some of the ordinary issues of school life can become complicated for them.