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Long Overdue Update
Well hello there! It has been years since I've written and published a post and recently I've had the idea that maybe this year was ...
Well hello there! It has been years since I've written and published a post and recently I've had the idea that maybe this year was ...
I've heard that you need to consider what your current circle of influence looks like right now. Who your friends are. Where you worship. Where you get your hair done. Where you shop. Who you spend your time with. What you watch on TV. What you eat.
ReplyDeleteIf your current circle does not include any of the race/culture/etc. of the children you're considering adopting -- how will you add them? And it can't just be superficial. These people need to be connected to you.
Are you willing to go outside your comfort zone?
If you're already connected...great. If you're seriously willing to make some changes...great. If you can't offer the children any of their current race/culture right now and you don't know how you could...it might not be a good fit.
....Says the lady currently living in an environment where my kids are the norm and I'M not. I know my kids are OK now (emphasis on the NOW). However, if I get my wish, I will be moved the Hell out of this part of the country and my kids will be the odd ones out...not me. And other than my friends on FB, I won't personally be connected to their culture with in-life role models/friends/or even acquaintances. And I don't know exactly how I'll do things then. I know I'll have to do something though and I guess I figure it out when the time comes.
I'm in the middle of reading both of these books: Come Rain or Shine: A White Parent's Guide to Adopting and Parenting Black Children
ReplyDeleteand
In Their Own Voices: Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories
If anyone has resources for white parents/Hispanic children I'm ALL ears!! The only things I can find are about adopting black children and that doesn't "exactly" apply. I know my cherubs are going to have things to deal with and I'm sure I could glean some info from those reading about white/black issues...I'd still like to find something that applies to US.
ReplyDeleteI did just buy this book: Raising Nuestros Ninos: Bringing Up Latino Children in a Bicultural World. It's a parenting book in general but I read that it's good for adoptive parents as well.