Archives -

7
Oct

Valuing the Biological Family Connection

The culture of adoption is much different today than it was several years ago. Today there is more of an openness in adoption (especially in domestic adoptions) and more adopted children now h...

4
Sep

Not Love at First Sight

Once matched with a child through international adoption many parents look at the pictures and comb through the information about their referred child (often for months), dreaming about the da...

12
Aug

Activities to Keep Your Child Busy during the Summer

School is out for summer break and there were a mix of emotions in our household on the last day of school, which ranged from excitement, happiness, stress relief, sadness, fear, and a few tea...

20
May

Creating One-On-One Time

After school, I play goalie for my youngest son who’s practicing his shooting skills for an upcoming soccer game. Then I help one of my kids with their homework and help another one study for a test. I watch my daught...
8
May

Mindfullness

You’ve likely heard the buzz surrounding mindfulness practices in recent years. Maybe you’ve even taken a yoga class or two in order to get in touch with your inner self. But what is all the hype about, and does it ac...
1
May

Needs of Children Adopted Internationally

In International adoption, the term “special needs” encapsulates a wide variety of characteristics and diagnoses. Special needs not only includes those in wheelchairs, with missing limbs, etc.; it also includes those ...
3
Apr

What to Expect on your Home Visit

If you’re anything like me, you clean your house from top to bottom when you’re expecting company. So naturally, when my husband and I adopted, and we had our home study visit with our social worker I did the same thi...
20
Mar

Challenges and Benefits of Homeschooling Your Adopted Child

To home school or not to home school? This is a question that many adoptive parents, myself included, consider for their children. Parents want the best education for their children and unfortunately there is not a “o...
13
Mar

International Adoption: Looking to Belong Miles Away from Home

Belonging is a feeling of closeness, togetherness, “fitting in,” or feeling like a significant member of a group. Belonging is closely connected to a person’s identity and who they believe they are and how they are co...
4
Mar

There’s More to Doing Hair than Style

My daughter has very thick beautiful curly hair. Her hair often needs a little extra care and attention. But she (understandably) isn’t always a big fan of the detangling process or the time and siting still that taki...
18
Feb

Coping with Fears and Trauma in Adoption

When I was in first grade, I was attacked by two of my neighbor’s rottweiler dogs. For the longest time I was extremely afraid of dogs. Unfortunately, dogs could sense my fear which caused me to be bitten by multiple ...
3
Jan

Can We Talk About Childhood Trauma?

Recently someone approached me trying to understand why my child’s past traumatic experiences cause her to act out like she does. This person had also experienced trauma as a child, but did not have the emotional inst...
27
Sep

Journaling as a Tool in Healing

The other day my daughter announced that she was “doing her own therapy.” When ...
25
Jun

My Lessons Learned About International Adoption

During my time here at MLJ Adoptions I’ve grown significantly both p...
24
May

We Can Do Hard Things!

A good friend and colleague of mine has a sign in her office that says, “We c...
30
Apr

Using All Five Senses to Calm Down

If you...

4
Apr

Can I Adopt Internationally if I have a Mental Health Disorder?

Mental Health Disorders do not prevent families from adopting inte...</div>
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3
Jan

Helping Your Child Overcome A Fear of Dogs

One question I always ask parents who have pets in their home during their home study visit is, “What will you do if your child has a fear of dogs?” For many, this is a question they haven’t quite thought about, but I...
4
Dec

Self-Soothing Behaviors

In orphanages or foster care, many ...
27
Nov

Empowering your Child to Answer Tough Questions about Adoption

“Why don’t you look like your mom and dad?” “Where ar...
16
Oct

Alternatives to Traditional Discipline

Traditional parenting techniques are not always effective when par...
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