"Moments after bringing our new puppy home, I understood that raising this dog would begin to create a history for our new daughter, would lodge her firmly within our family. A family pet conjures notions of family ties, of belonging."
Teaching Your Child the ABC’s of Reading
When it comes to reading skills, parents are their children's first—and best—teachers. Here's how to give your child a head start on mastering the written word.
“Sleeping Together as a Family”
At night, each of this mother's three children wanted to be with mom.
[Book Review] Welcoming a New Brother or Sister Through Adoption
Her expertise shines through in this comprehensive guide (not just for families pursuing a second adoption!) that’s filled with real-life examples and practical advice.
“I Forgot to Be Scared”
A 13-year-old shares his adoption story.
From Infertility to Adoption
“After four years of fertility treatments, a friend recommended that we attend an adoption seminar. My husband and I weren’t open to adoption, but we decided to go. The hour-and-a-half seminar changed our lives forever."
How to Get Your Child Help at School
When a child has learning problems, often the first step is an Individualized Educational Program (IEP). Here's what you need to know.
Do Adoptees Struggle with Change and Transition?
"My daughter has greater difficulties with transitions than her friends who were born into their families. If we know a transition is coming, we prepare."
“Becoming Mom to My Brother-in-Law’s Kids”
A noble view of adoption, with me as rescuer, had little to do with the reality of creating a family.
“And Now We Are Three”
Mix one American couple, one preteen Russian boy, and one summer program...and what do you get? Family.
“You’ve Got to Have Friends”
My daughter’s fascination with China was matched by her pleasure at sharing the return trip with friends who’d made the same journey.
[Book Review] And Then I Found You
With her sister’s permission, the novelist wrote a fictionalized account of her experiences leading up to the adoption plan.
News Brief: LGBT Parents Very Open to Openness
A new study by The Donaldson Adoption Institute found that LGBT families are highly motivated to maintain openness and birth family contact.
News Brief: Higher Rates of Adoption Documented in Transgender Youth
Doctors at a gender management clinic have found that 8.2 percent of the 184 transgender youth they've seen between 2007 and 2015 were adopted. The overall rate in their state is 2.3 percent.
News Briefs: Intercountry Adoption Updates, August 2016
Intercountry adoption laws are updated frequently. Learn about recent changes in Uganda, Romania, Haiti, and Ethiopia.
[Book Review] Wuhu Diary
No adoptive parent should miss Wuhu Diary. This dramatic and personal narrative by Emily Prager describes a two-month trip to Wuhu, with her five-year-old daughter LuLu, to discover anything they could about LuLu's origins.
Parent-to-Parent: Photographs of the Birth Family
Parents share whether they have photos of their child's birth family displayed in their homes—where, why or why not, and how they talk about them.
Ask AF: Feeling Excited and Scared as We Begin the Process
"We're just beginning the adoption process, and are waffling between excitement—and terror. Is this normal?"
Raising Black Children to Become Black Adults
An adult adoptee discusses 'the Talk'—what white parents who adopt Black children must tell them about racism, interacting with the police, and staying safe.
[Book Review] The Red Blanket
On the crowded shelf of children's books about adoption from China, don't overlook The Red Blanket, a book by Eliza Thomas, with irresistible illustrations by Joe Cepeda.