February 04, 2013
Adoption News Round-up!
It’s been a while since we’ve done one of these, and we’ve seen lots of interesting articles in the news recently…so here goes! The big headliners this week in adoption news:
Both Super Bowl teams in last night’s game were touched by adoption! Michael Oher of the Ravens was not only adopted, but it was his adoption that inspired Sandra Bullock’s “The Blind Side.” He spent his youth in and out of foster care and was finally adopted in his teens. Colin Kaepernick of the 49ers was adopted at five weeks old and told Dan Marino that his adoption was one of the best things that ever happened to him. See what happens when you give a child the opportunity to thrive and be loved? Nothing but blessings and miracles.
A devastating report has emerged from the British Association for Adoption and Fostering, saying that they’ve done a study revealing that mixed-race adoption can actually be very traumatic for the adoptees. The article notes that “In the study, which is the first to look at the long-term impact of interracial adoption in Britain, former orphans were asked to talk about their experiences from childhood through to middle age. According to The Guardian, common feedback included “varying levels of racism, prejudice and feelings of belonging and difference within their adoptive families and wider communities.” Luckily, rather than supporting a total ban on transracial adoption, the British government and BAAF members want to address these issues and to set safeguards to ensure that children adopted from other cultures do not feel alienated growing up in their new homes.
The state of Missouri might adjust tax breaks for adoption to apply only towards in-state adoptions. “With 10,000 to 11,000 kids in the state of Missouri that need to be adopted, if we are going to incent people to adopt kids, we should be incenting them to adopt kids in the state of Missouri and not outside,” Senator Justus said. Federal subsidies would still be available. As of right now, this bill is heading to the House.
We are big advocates of heathy, at-home remedies for sickness using fresh ingredients perfect for bolstering your little one’s health and keeping them well during the winter months. Parents Magazine ran a great article recently about 14 natural health remedies for your child. Remember to use all organic ingredients if possible and to source locally if organic isn’t available. Cayenne pepper for nosebleeds? Bubble wands for anxiety? Love it.
As more and more unethical practices surrounding international adoption are unearthed, it can be daunting to think about where you would possibly want to go outside of the country to adopt. MLJ Adoptions wrote a great article about what corruption in international adoptions really means and what agencies can do to advocate for the opposite. Knowledge is power. Even though we are a national adoption agency, it is so important to us that any adoption anywhere is treated with the love, respect and honesty that birth mothers, adoptive parents and adoptees deserve.