This week, I have been writing about medicating my adopted child for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the emotions that this process has evoked in me. I want to end this series on a positive note.

Yes, dealing with my son's special needs has been hard, but he is much more than a walking special need. He is a great kid. He is smart, funny, warm, loving, forgiving, and incredibly funny. The child is almost always positive and in a good mood.

My... more

As an adoptive parent, you need to take your responsibility to draft a Last Will and Testament seriously. Without a will, if you and your spouse die together without a will, then a stranger (a judge) will make the difficult decision about who will raise your child. You owe it to your child to make provisions for him in the event that you are unable to do so yourself.

In addition to this concern, you will want to think about what instructions you want to leave your child's guardian with respect to his adoption. If you have a semi-open... more

Are any of you familiar with a fabulous Christian speaker named Beth Moore? I was watching one of her videos that goes along with one of her Bible studies, and she was talking about an older child that she adopted. She shared that her adopted son had all sorts of issues, causing her to have to attend numerous conferences with school personnel. As the school personnel would rattle off issues, she would respond by saying things like, "Yes, I know he can be difficult…"

One day, the school called her in to talk with her about another behavioral issue.... more

In my last post, Playgroups with Adopted Child, I shared that I founded a neighborhood playgroup when my son was only a few weeks old. Even though he was the only child in the group to join his family through adoption, the playgroup was a wonderful experience that I am glad we both had. The playgroup met weekly for about three years. Once children started heading off to preschool, the playgroup grew smaller until it ended when my son was four. While I no longer see... more

When my adopted child was just a few weeks old, I founded a neighborhood playgroup. None of the women in the playgroup knew one another before the playgroup started, but we became fast friends as we navigated the unknown waters of parenthood together. We had over ten babies in the neighborhood, all born within a few months of one another, so we were able to help one another learn the ropes of parenting.

My son was the only baby in the playgroup to join the family through adoption. As babies and toddlers, the fact that he joined our family through adoption... more

In a sermon, I heard a pastor say that every person needs to be hugged at least 10 times a day to be happy. He said that many of us are "hug-deprived" and that we would be a happier society if we would simply hug one another more frequently. I do not know where he got his data, but I see a lot of truth in what he said.

How often do you hug your child? Does your child even want to be hugged?

My son used to give me my "daily hug" every day, but he abruptly stopped when he entered first grade. I think he thinks he is "too old" for that, which breaks my heart. However,... more

When I first held my adopted child in my arms, I felt a love deeper than I have ever known. I met my son while staying at a friend’s house, and my friend had some wonderful parenting advice for me. She said that most people love their children, but the wise parents cherish them. What things can you do to cherish your adopted child?

1. Tell your child how much you love him.

It amazes me how many people have trouble saying, “I love you” to their family members. If you make a choice to say this on a regular basis, then it does... more

When I asked around on my personal blog what Adoptive Parents wanted to learn more about Toy and Product reviews came up.It makes sense, everyone likes the Mom tested and kid approved favorites. It seems that there is a overwhelming array of toys and educational products to choose from. There is nothing more frustrating that seeing the toy that you searched for and probably shelled out alot of money on just sit in the corner gathering dust and not being played with.

I often see the same toys at resale shops and thrift stores.I have found... more

I love so many things about adoption that it's hard to choose just a few. Still, when asked to come up with just 10 while at a foster care/adoption picnic this afternoon, these were the ten I chose:

1. Adoption has given me a chance to love very specifically chosen children.

2. Adoption teaches that a heart doesn’t have a limited capacity to love, but rather seems to grow just the ‘right amount’ for each child.

3. Adoption has taught me more compassion. As my life has grown to include many different adopted children and all... more

My daughter just loves this activity. She played very contently with this at school and I’m always looking for toys that will keep her occupied for longer than a millisecond. I pay close attention to the toys that the occupational therapist uses to improve skills at school. I also read that these were recommended to improve fine motor skills. I searched a few local stores and while I did see them over the holidays I was unable to locate a set at a store close to my home. I eventually found a set on ebay. My daughter loves this cutting toy and... more