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By: Nicole Skellenger, J.D.
Internationally adopted children often have unique academic struggles. Unfortunately, many schools are not prepared to address the a-typical needs of these kids. Therefore, adoptive parents often must become their child’s best advocates in school. It becomes up to the parents to educate themselves, to the best extent that they can, on the needs of their child and the programs available to assist them. Dr. Boris Gindis will educate adoptive parents and prospective adoptive parents on identifying the issues and strategies to get your children what they need to achieve their academic potential.
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By: Sheri Molnar
When the Executive Director of MLJ Adoptions, Michele Jackson, decided to hold an adoption conference the MLJ Staff embraced the idea with equal parts excitement and trepidation. With little conference planning experience, the staff set out to plan an event that would educate, energize, and motivate families about the topic so near and dear to their hearts – adoption and placing orphans in forever families. Judging by the evaluations, the first annual Crossroads of America Adoption was an outstanding success.
“It was very organized and helpful for the adoption journey that we are on.”
“Coming away with a wealth of knowledge and meeting people (reps from other countries were great!) We loved learning more about HIV.”
“Everyone was very nice, open & sharing – really appreciated the honest sharing.”
“Extremely friendly staff/volunteers who really seem to have a heart for what they do.”
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By: Brooke Randolph, LMHC
By: Brooke Randolph, LMHC
*previously posted on MLJ Adoptions, Inc.
I have nothing but wonderful things to say about the new book My Family, A Symphony: A Memoir of Global Adoption by Aaron Eske. While Aaron’s book is a memoir, sharing much about his family, not just his experience as the only biological child in a family with four transracially and transculturally adopted siblings, it is also so much more than a memoir. Aaron also shares the complexities of the history of adoption, the societal factors that both cause and impede adoption, and how early life events continue to reverberate into adulthood, all while sharing his journey around the world to visit the birth places of each of his siblings and other important locations for adoption today. While Aaron shares from his experience, he was also able to look beyond the time when his siblings were adopted to the current situation in which the sending countries and practices have changed dramatically.
I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did.
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Thank you for taking the time to visit our website and for your interest in the Crossroads of America Adoption Conference (CAAC)!
Our upcoming Conference is sure to be encouraging and informative for all attendees. CAAC 2012 will encourage prospective adoptive parents as they start their adoption journey, support adoptive parents after placement, and help build a community of adoption advocates. We are thrilled about the success of last year’s CAAC, and have even bigger plans for this year!
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By: Tony Stewart
So, what in the world kind of title for a blog post is “Gloriously Mad”? Well, let me tell you. It goes way back to my reluctancy to become an adoptive parent. I think I’ve mentioned before that I came up with every excuse not to adopt. I used financial arguments. I used space in our home arguments. I used the busy-ness of life arguments. Whatever it was, I had a reason why it wasn’t going to work for our family. Now, in May of last year we made the decision to begin the process. But even after that, I was having a hard time wrapping my mind around the whole picture. Michelle began to show me some pictures of children that were available to adopt. Through looking at the pictures, it made the process more real, but they were still just pictures. It was moving to see the need, but it was not personal.
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By: Elizabeth Nelson, MSW
Yep, it’s here. The Crossroads of America Adoption Conference is happening September 30 and October 1, 2011. There are a host of great topics on the agenda and creative seminars in which to take part. There will be seminars on pre adoption, the process, and post adoption. There will be new faces for you to see and old faces. Information you know and hopefully, some you don’t. There are seminars for those that are active and hands on and ones for those that just want to sit back and enjoy the speaker. You might even see me there! But, why really, should you go? You’re busy, your kids are busy and it is hard to take time out of all the busyness to attend any sort of continuing education. And really, what can an entire bevy of professionals tell you, an adoptive parent, about adopting? You are toiling in those parenting trenches every day.
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By: Brooke Randolph, LMHC
If you are in Indiana and have any interest in adoption whatsoever, whether as an adoptive parent, prospective adoptive parent, adoptee, adoption professional, social worker, or adoption advocate then you really should plan on attending the Crossroads of America Adoption Conference (CAAC) on September 30th and October 1st. If you are an MLJ client or interested in becoming an MLJ client, regardless of where you live, you should attend this conference. I realize these are pretty strong statements. As a therapist, I usually shy away from any use of the word “should”, but I am using it here purposefully. Here are seven reasons you should register today.
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Newer posts →
Internationally adopted children often have unique academic struggles. Unfortunately, many schools are not prepared to address the a-typical needs of these kids. Therefore, adoptive parents often must become their child’s best advocates in school. It becomes up to the parents to educate themselves, to the best extent that they can, on the needs of their child and the programs available to assist them. Dr. Boris Gindis will educate adoptive parents and prospective adoptive parents on identifying the issues and strategies to get your children what they need to achieve their academic potential.
