Contributed By: Celeste Haven
Adopting a toddler? This is the trend in international adoption, mainly because younger children are being adopted in-country and/or are not available for international adoption.
Our family is in the process of adopting a three-year-old from Bulgaria and I have been reading many adoption books to better prepare myself. The Weaver’s Craft, is great for parents adopting a toddler internationally, domestically or through the foster care system.
Adopting a toddler? This is the trend in international adoption, mainly because younger children are being adopted in-country and/or are not available for international adoption.
Our family is in the process of adopting a three-year-old from Bulgaria and I have been reading many adoption books to better prepare myself. The Weaver’s Craft, is great for parents adopting a toddler internationally, domestically or through the foster care system.
The author gives great ideas for each area of adoption. I will only be highlighting items in the book I have found most helpful to our current station in the adoption journey. One good idea I have taken away from reading this book is to take a photo
album (or photo book) to leave with your child when you make the first trip to visit him or her. You could put pictures
of family members in it, family pets, your home and anything else that would make the transition easier for the child. It is also a good idea to label the pictures for the caregivers to read to your child.The author also suggests that pre-placement visits are very important. To help your child transition to your home it is a good idea to find out about your toddler’s personality, sleeping practice, food likes/dislikes, behavioral issues and progress with potty training. It is also important to find out how his or her present caregiver practices discipline. The author, furthermore, gives great advice on physical placement. She suggests that when you visit to pick up your child that the child be permitted to say goodbye to his or her friends, and that the caregivers physically transfer the child to you and are able to say good bye to the child. She also suggests that parents learn a
few words of the child’s language to comfort the child. Transition objects are also helpful. These can be a blanket or toy you left with the child that they get to bring home with them.
For post placement, the author suggest that to help the child adjust you canread children’s books about adoption, and
make a life book (baby book) that has important adoption papers in it, pictures of caregivers, medical information, and anything else from when your child was little. This is also the time when you form an attachment with your child (bonding like you would with a newborn). This doesn’t happen over night, but is made by spending time with your child one-on-
one, playing, making eye contact, keeping their world small, physical contact and, if need be, getting help from trained professionals.
The author also addresses the development of a toddler and what to expect related to his or her grief and attachment issues. The book also addresses what parents might go through emotionally once the adoption is complete and how to deal with those feelings.In a nutshell, this is a little book with lots of great information. I got this book at the library for our agency’s
education requirement, but ended up buying it so I could refer back to it when needed.
album (or photo book) to leave with your child when you make the first trip to visit him or her. You could put pictures
of family members in it, family pets, your home and anything else that would make the transition easier for the child. It is also a good idea to label the pictures for the caregivers to read to your child.The author also suggests that pre-placement visits are very important. To help your child transition to your home it is a good idea to find out about your toddler’s personality, sleeping practice, food likes/dislikes, behavioral issues and progress with potty training. It is also important to find out how his or her present caregiver practices discipline. The author, furthermore, gives great advice on physical placement. She suggests that when you visit to pick up your child that the child be permitted to say goodbye to his or her friends, and that the caregivers physically transfer the child to you and are able to say good bye to the child. She also suggests that parents learn a
few words of the child’s language to comfort the child. Transition objects are also helpful. These can be a blanket or toy you left with the child that they get to bring home with them.
For post placement, the author suggest that to help the child adjust you canread children’s books about adoption, and
make a life book (baby book) that has important adoption papers in it, pictures of caregivers, medical information, and anything else from when your child was little. This is also the time when you form an attachment with your child (bonding like you would with a newborn). This doesn’t happen over night, but is made by spending time with your child one-on-
one, playing, making eye contact, keeping their world small, physical contact and, if need be, getting help from trained professionals.
The author also addresses the development of a toddler and what to expect related to his or her grief and attachment issues. The book also addresses what parents might go through emotionally once the adoption is complete and how to deal with those feelings.In a nutshell, this is a little book with lots of great information. I got this book at the library for our agency’s
education requirement, but ended up buying it so I could refer back to it when needed.
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