It has started.

My children are aware of the impending Day for Mothers.

Tension is tangible; behaviors have taken a veering right from whatever normal we’d managed to achieve by last month.

One girl wanted to mail a previous adoptive mother a card. She realized today that she’d forgotten about this up until now. With this realization, she was even able to use words (something many of my other children are not able to do). “I forgot to mail a card! X*#?!” With the utterance of a swear word, it seemed to flip a switch controlling... more

Many discussions have taken place about all of the “players” in an adopted child’s story. There are birth parents, adoptive parents, possibly foster parents. In the case of many of my children, there are even previous adoptive parents. There might be siblings in the birth family, siblings in the adopted family, and/or siblings in foster families. There may be many different sets of grandparents as well (or even going on to include aunts/uncles and cousins).

Today, I was reminded of yet another person that might be involved in a child’s adoption... more

Seriously folks is it just me who is picky about manners? I just can’t believe the manners or lack of manners with today’s children and in people in general. Maybe it’s just my age. I just grew up with excuse me, please, pardon me, thank you and your welcome for starters. A grown Woman attempted to cut in front of me in line at the grocery store yesterday. Another grown up was yelling at me to get moving simply because I was not a millisecond faster getting my foot from the brake to the gas when the light changed.

It just seems that we... more

There are times that I get really worried about my toddlers behavior. It’s her lack of impulse control, not listening and need to control every situation. I’m seeing more manipulative traits and my daughter seems to have an inner need to push the envelope. What she is showing me at 29 months stuns and shocks me... what will the future hold?

I have worked with children for many years and have never met a child like Livi. The Love I have for her is too immense to put into words. She frustrates me and I get frustrated with myself that I’m... more

What do Moms really want for Mother's day? If you would have asked me prior to coming home with my daughter what I would like to receive for a Mother’s day gift I probably would have rattled off something like- Breakfast in bed, brunch, flowers, Mom jewelry, a special dinner and a nice card .

Those are just a few ideas that I think about when I think about Mother’s day. Today that is far from my mind as Mother’s Day approaches. So what do Moms really want? I can tell you what I would love to receive on that special day set aside to honor... more

As discussed in another blog, it is extremely important for our children that their moms and dads use a team approach in parenting them. This includes current parents, previous parents and birth parents if still actively involved in the child’s life. Children have a finely tuned ability to notice any “weak spots” in the team parenting, hone in on those, and use them to “conquer and divide” or to cause dissension among the adults. This seems especially true with adopted children,... more

Have you all seen this article? The report by Salary.com basically adds up the hours and various duties of your average stay- at- home mom and tries to match those duties with an average salary. I imagine it was not an easy task coming up with that ball park figure.

The job descriptions that Salary.com used to determine a moms salary includes 10 jobs that moms do on an average day: housekeeper, day care center teacher, cook,... more

Mom and Dad. Both parents to the same child. But, are they parenting as a team? Are they partners? (For purpose of this blog, it is assumed that the parents are married. Of course, there are other situations. Hopefully, you can find yourself in this blog, even if not your same situation.)

I think all of us want to be parenting partners with our spouse. Even when our spouse also wants to be a parenting partner, does it always seem like it’s working out the way you’d planned?

Often, I find that my husband and I, while in the same house... more

It’s that time of year again. This year we are older and wiser. Last summer my daughter was still falling often and not quite tall enough for most playground equipment. I expect that because my daughter is older and steadier on her feet that this summer will be a real hoot.

1.Come Prepared- sun block, a change of clothes, snacks and water. I’m always stunned when I see Moms come unprepared to the playground and they spend a few hours playing. I envy that type of spontaneous parenting but I can’t leave home without my bag of just in case... more

Two girls, both Russian-born teenage adoptees have become friends through these blogs. These are two of the most amazing girls, older child adoptees, bent on now giving back to other children without families. I’ve been absolutely inspired by both of them.

A month ago, Virginia wrote on the Russian Adoption blog about her meeting with a fascinating young... more