My hope, as a single foster mother, is to provide at least a temporary period of calm in a stormy childhood.
30 Questions All Adoptees Want Answered
All adoptees grow up with questions about their birth parents, the circumstances of their adoptions, and more. Here they are.
Saying “No!” (Without Guilt)
Your preschooler pleads for things and refuses to listen. Why is it so hard to set limits?
New Baby, New Family Traditions
Rituals are the glue that binds a family together.
“The Birth Parent Reunion Roller Coaster”
After 26 years, I thought 'happily ever after' was about to begin.
“Becoming Craig’s Mother”
My younger son's arrival signaled the end to a decade of heartache due to secondary infertility. So why was I so sad?
“The Day I Joined a Forever Family”
A 10-year-old recalls the day a foster family became a forever family for him and his sister.
Talking About A Difficult Adoption Story
What children don't know can't hurt them, right? Think again.
“Losing Touch with Birth Parents”
When my son was six years old, his birth mother closed the door on our open adoption. Were we wrong to include her in his life?
“How I Discovered the Meaning of Motherhood”
It wasn't until the birth of my daughter that I realized my son's mother was his adoptive mother.
“Understanding My Family’s Circles”
My traditional childhood dreams gave way to an unexpected, soul-filling reality.
Adoption Celebrations for Every Family
When it’s time to celebrate, we take cues from longstanding traditions and blend in rituals created from scratch. The result? Ceremonies as unique as our families.
“Just a Simple Scar”
A daughter joins her family with a mysterious scar on her leg, adding another piece to the puzzle that is her young life.
Ask AF: Handling Requests for Financial Support
How should we handle requests for financial support from our son's birth mother?
How to Talk About Adoption
10 tips for talking with your child about adoption, getting him to talk to you, and preparing him to talk to others, especially in school.
“Growing Pains”
After the loss of my father, I've found myself — an only child and a single mom — in the middle of a new family circle.
How to Talk About Birth Fathers with Young Children
Because young adopted children tend to focus on their birth mothers, you need to make a special effort to include their birth fathers.
“What an Embarrassment!”
As my daughter approaches the tween years, she’s becoming more aware of who she is and of how others see her — and me.
Making Blended Families Work
Blended families flourish when they recognize their differences and celebrate their choices, says this father of two.
“Celebrating Heritage in The Wax Museum”
Breaking out of racial boundaries to create a new vision of the world and its past.