December 07, 2014

Adoption News Roundup

Hi there! How’s your Christmas season going so far? We’re one week closer to Christmas and it always feels not soon enough and too soon. (Not soon enough for the kids and too soon for the parents, to be exact.) Here are some of the links and stories that caught our eye around the web this week…

Kristen Howerton of Rage Against the Minivan talks about when your kids start to develop their own sense of style. Have you experienced this yet? “Before I had children, I had grand visions of what my life as a mom would look like. It involved a home straight out of a design magazine, with hip furnishings and organic wooden toys. It involved children whose style was a perfect mix of bohemian chic and preppy cute. There was probably a meadow involved. We were probably eating homemade granola. This vision was so lovely, so ready for Pinterest. . . so perfect. AND THEN I HAD CHILDREN.”

Didn’t catch the final week of Portrait of an Adoption’s 30 Adoption Portraits in 30 days series in honor of National Adoption Month? Catch the full roundup here on adoption.net!

Are you looking for projects that include and reach out to multi-cultured children? They can be difficult to find, and, especially during the holidays, are a valuable commodity. Here’s a list of companies that are creating unique products specifically geared towards children of diverse ethnicity — do you already have any of these in your own home?

Looking for a good, wholesome children’s film to gift for Christmas? Adoption at the Movies shared a very positive review of Despicable Me 2, which depicts a single-parent adoptive family. There is even a helpful Q&A segment at the end that would be nice for facilitating a post-feature discussion with your kids.

According to Tiny Buddha, every imperfect person has something to teach us. This is a lesson that is likely challenging to take in in the midst of conflict, but when truly absorbed has very beneficial results. “If a colleague, friend, or acquaintance is abrasive or aggressive, I try to mentally extend loving thoughts to them. I think about what it’s like to be in their shoes and how I can lead by example by being kind to them. I breathe in their perceived negativity and breathe out positivity. I tell myself, this is your opportunity to practice. So I practice. And I think without realizing it, sometimes I can be smug about it. Subconsciously, despite all my yogic training, my interest in Buddhism, and my general belief that we are all the same, I inadvertently elevate myself in stature compared to others.”