When younger children misbehave, they may not really know that they are misbehaving, and can be easily distracted or physically moved. But by age three to five, a child should be more aware of inappropriate behavior.
Ensuring Accuracy for International Adoptees
In early 2014, President Obama signed into law the Accuracy for Adoptees act, which will help remove bureaucracy and red tape for individuals who were given inaccurate birth dates in their birth countries, and their adoptive families.
What Drives Intercountry Adoption?
What changes the "demand" for adopted children around the world? Are market forces to blame?
“A Family Commitment”
In this personal essay, one adoptive mother describes how her family learns about her daughter's Chinese heritage at a school with other families.
Adoption and Divorce
My husband and I are contemplating a divorce. Will our daughter's adoption status figure into the legal proceedings?
Ask the Doctor: Anemia
Our medical expert explains symptoms, causes, and treatments that parents need to know when adopting a child with anemia.
State Adoption Laws Update, May 2015
Has your state recently changed its adoption laws? Check out AF's condensed list here.
Assessing a Referral
We've heard from our agency that we'll be receiving an adoption referral soon. What medical information will it contain, and how should we assess it?
Parent-To-Parent: Happy Adoption Day
Did you celebrate the day you met your child or his adoption finalization? Do you continue to mark that day every year? What do you call it? Members of our Facebook page shared their stories.
Parent-To-Parent: Like Parent, Like Child
On our Facebook page, we asked readers: How are you and your child surprisingly alike?
Parent-to-Parent: Was It Fate?
On our Facebook page we asked readers: Adoption stories often involve serendipity. Please share any amazing coincidences that arose on your journey to family. Here are some of your responses
Parent-To-Parent: Sharing Our News
On our Facebook page we asked readers: After you decided to adopt, who was the first person you told? What did he or she say? Here are some of your responses.
Parent-To-Parent: My Child, My Role Model
On our Facebook page, we asked readers: What qualities do you most admire in your child that are most different from your own? Here's what they had to say.
Parent-To-Parent: Time for Cake!
On our Facebook page, a reader asked for help: "Does anyone have suggestions for what to write on a cake to celebrate finalization?" Here are some of your ideas for topping off the icing on the cake.
“Making Time for My Daughter…and Myself”
I have been doing poorly at the job that's the most important in the world to me–being a good mother to my daughter. I accepted my current position in part so I could afford things for her, such as private school. Now I find myself robbing her of the things that mean the most: my time and attention and patience.
Ask AF: Honoring a Birth Mom’s Memory
Spurred, in part, by my daughter's questions, I recently initiated a search for my six-year-old's birth mother. I learned that her birth mother died a year ago. Do I need to tell my daughter now? If so, how?
Our Family Snapshots
We asked AF readers to send in their most memorable family portraits, and the response we got was overwhelming. Each photo represented a story that was inspiring, fascinating, and unique. Here are a few of our favorites.
Welcome Home: Our Adoption Announcements
We asked AF readers to share their child's adoption announcements, and we were stunned by the creativity shown in your responses. These are a handful of our favorites.
Sibling Snapshots
From the first meeting to a grown-up wedding, readers shared candid photos of adopted siblings. Here are some of our favorites.
Ask AF: Smoothing the Transition to College
We're worried that our daughter, who had trouble with attachment, might struggle as she goes off to college. How can we support her during this time?