In one life-changing day, I became a mom. But I took time to savor the sweetness of a dream coming true.
“A Dollhouse Family Just Like Ours”
Buying a dollhouse for my daughter's third birthday was a cinch. Finding the right family to live in it was a bit more difficult.
[Book Review] Brothers and Sisters in Adoption
Sibling issues are the focus of this rich resource for parents or adoption professionals, written by Arleta James. Read the full review, here.
[Book Review] The Joy of Family Traditions
Like many women, Jennifer Trainer Thompson had always been drawn to family traditions, but it was becoming a mother—to her biological son, and to her daughter, adopted from Guatemala—that led her to search for customs to incorporate into her family's life.
Age-by-Age Ways to Celebrate Birth Culture
An age-by-age guide to cultural activities that help our children take pride in their identity.
Discussing a Difficult Past After Foster Adoption
My child's background was tough. Now that he's with our family, do we really need to discuss the past?
The Role of Genes on Personality
It's easy to associate your child's soaring height or freckles with a birth parent, but what about his straight A's in science or his rosy outlook on life?
Overcoming Older Child Anxiety
We recently adopted a five-year-old. She seems so fearful and anxious! How can we help her learn to trust and love us?
Creating a Support Network
I just came home with my new baby and I'm already feeling overwhelmed. How am I supposed to do all of this by myself?
“Pushing Past My Fears to Become a Single Mother”
A recent "adventure vacation" I took with my daughter brought back memories of the scariest leap of all — becoming a single mom.
“A Homeland Trip with My Teens”
I planned our homeland trip, hoping to see my children's birthplaces. Surprisingly, those proved elusive, but we found meaning at every turn.
“Intimate Strangers”: Birth Parent Contact in Foster Adoption
The 894 pages of my daughter's foster care case history described her birth mother's hard life, scarred by poverty, drug addiction, and homelessness. I never expected to meet her—much less like her.
Ask AF: Academic Difficulties
Answers to your parenting questions.
“Babies and Birth Moms and Bellies, Oh My!”
When our two children began to ask questions — lots of questions — my partner and I found answers in homemade adoption storybooks.
A Mother by Any Other Name
Is the term 'birth mother' an example of appropriate, positive language — or an offensive and demeaning label?
A Striking Resemblance!
Families who "match" don't have to answer many nosy questions. Instead, they must decide whom, when, and what to tell.
“Moving Past My Infertility”
My infertility was in the past. But was I ready to laugh at immature teenage jokes about adoption?
“Nursing Matthew”
Breastfeeding my baby has been one of the most challenging — and rewarding — things I've ever done.
Ask AF: Teen Friendships
Answers to your parenting questions.
Birth Parent Search in International Adoption
Adoptive parents around the globe are seeking their children's first families — even before these children voice an opinion on the matter. But do we know what we're doing?