Adoption Archives - Page 4 of 14

Support Networks

28th March 2017 Then We Were Four Adoption, Post Adoption, Stage 1 One comment

During Stage 1 of the adoption process we were asked to create what was called an “Eco-map” to represent the family, friends and co-workers who we thought made up the network of people who would support us during the approval process and after we adopted our child/children. When we were thinking about who to put on the map we didn’t really have to do so too hard. We both have quite close-knit families so brothers, sisters, mums, dad, and grandparents immediately went on to it without a second thought. We then considered extended family and put a few aunts, uncles,

The Electric Fence

27th March 2017 Then We Were Four Adoption, Family Life, parenthood One comment

Someone much wiser than me once told me that throughout our parenting our children will constantly test the boundaries that we have put in place just to make sure that they are still there, to see if they can get around or breach them. She referred to it as “testing the electric fence to ensure it is still switched on”. Even our far more limited experience of being parents tells us this is true, no more so than the last few weeks.

Self-Care: Something Has To Give

23rd March 2017 Then We Were Four Adoption, Family Life 4 comments

Recently I felt the need to back off from writing new blog posts for a little while, it has seemed like a long time, but actually it has only been about 10 days. That seems to have been enough time for the mushy brain which I have developed of late to re-solidify and start firing on the majority of cylinders again.

Weaponised Friendship

14th March 2017 Then We Were Four Adoption, Family Life 5 comments

Maybe I’ve picked a slightly more emotive title for this post than it actually deserves, I do only have toddlers at the moment who haven’t quite grasped the full concept of what friendship actually is. They are learning though, and that is what this is about.

Being Dad to Adopted Siblings

9th March 2017 Then We Were Four Adoption, Family Life 3 comments

From the start of our adoption journey we always said we would like to adopt two children. At one point when we were looking at profiles of the children in care we saw many single children who we thought we would be good parents for. At that point we started to realise that if we did adopt a single child we would then want to go through the process again so we could have another. We envisaged our family as a family of four. As things turned out we were approached by social services about two brothers and six months

LGBT Adoption & Fostering Week: The Interview

7th March 2017 Then We Were Four Adoption, Family Life, LGBT Leave a comment

A little while ago I agreed to do an interview with the adoption agency who we went through for an article about LGBT Adoption & Fostering Week. At the time I thought it would be a written one and I would be able to take some time answering the questions. Unfortunately I then found out it would be over the phone and I nearly backed out of it. I’m much better at articulating myself in writing than talking, but eventually I decided to continue with it. The article that was written was ok although nothing special, I can’t link to it

The Introductions Experience

5th March 2017 Then We Were Four Adoption, Family, Matching One comment

Introductions are a very strange part of the adoption process. They are the final step before you become full time parents. You are taken so far out of your comfort zone that there really is no going back to it, yet at the same time you seem to be required to behave like well-rounded, calm, experienced parents. You also have to put your trust in the foster carer who has the child or children you are being introduced to in their care. It’s fairly normal for you have already met the foster carer, whose house you are going to be camped

LGBT Adoption & Fostering Week

3rd March 2017 Then We Were Four Adoption, Family, fostering, LGBT Leave a comment

Our story began at an event held for LGBT Adoption & Fostering week in 2014. Yours can begin this year…

Reciprocal Contact

2nd March 2017 Then We Were Four Adoption One comment

When you are in the adoption process, contact with birth family is presented as a vital component in providing your child with a sense of identity. The theory being that your children have a way of finding out information about where they came from. That’s the theory…

What Did You Do Today?

1st March 2017 Then We Were Four Adoption, Family, Family Life, Post Adoption 2 comments

It’s a question I always make a point of asking my Eldest son after he has spent a day at nursery. I have always asked it, I even tried some of the more specific questions about who he liked playing with today, or what the best thing he did today was, but the most detailed response I have ever had was “I played with the boys and the girls”. Until now…