When your child's behaviour is difficult, can you hear yourself saying things like "he's doing that on purpose, you know, to push my buttons" or maybe you refer to your child as manipulative or controlling. I know you love your kids and desperately want to feel you're in control and know what’s going on but... holy smokes people; are you serious? Why are you giving a child so much credit? To presume that a child is in control of their behaviour when we, the adults, often aren't, is a wee bi...

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I’ve heard it many times. Does this system really work? Will we really be able to adopt? I'm often told stories about people who wanted to adopt but it never happened. So, is there truth to these fearful questions? Yes there is…for some.  But to understand this, we must take a look at the family’s requirements for a child.  Are they asking for a child up to 3 without any potential for health or developmental concerns?  Those two parameters alone - age and development- often do not sync ...

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I thought I would write this during the holidays, but...you know.

Now that I’m back to work, I find myself re-immersed in the passionate world of adoption and getting to tasks that I left behind. Thus, this little blurb. Over the last few weeks, I have been haunted by a recurring theme: All children need a family. Of course, in theory, everyone knows that. But, in reality, what I most commonly hear is "We want to adopt a child under 2." It's not that I don't understand that desire. Why wou...

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Is it true? If so, what are the implications with the many children born with HIV around the world? This is definitely encouraging for the children, the communities they are born into, and the families who may be adopting them. Take a look: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/04/health/for-first-time-baby-cured-of-hiv-doctors-say.html?src=me&ref=general&_r=0
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Do you ever feel that there is stuff going on that you know nothing about? That you live in a little bubble that does not permeate into the rest of the world? Yet, every so often, your bubble collides with that other stuff to make you think "Wow, I didn't know that was going on."  Enough already, you may be thinking or saying. What is she talking about? 

In the world of private adoption, where I sit every day, I have the opportunity to meet with many wonderful parents or parents-to-be, who are...
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Kudos to Family and Children's Services of Waterloo region for this outstanding video on adopting children:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnkOl8iSY1k. The timing is fantastic considering November is Adoption Awareness month. Awareness is the key word in that sentence. 

How did it come to be that many people share a generally agreed upon perception that older children are 'damaged goods' and therefore unadoptable? (By older, let's say more than three). Was it a Hollywood movie, a newspaper arti...
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Who says: "The older the wiser"? I may be wrong, but lately, the number of acts of kindness I have been seeing from children far outweighs what I've been seeing from adults. In fact, I think the saying should be: "The older the more self indulgent". But, that's another topic all together. Ok, now I have a whole bunch of enemies I didn't have before writing this! But wait, stay with me on this. I'm not just getting down on us older folks for no reason. Honestly, there is reason. There is purpo...
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Saturday, September 29, was a spectacular day. It was the Adoption Council of Canada's 4th annual Adoptwalk. Teaming up with The Children's Bridge Foundation, representatives from both agencies did a fantastic job in providing a fun filled day that raised funds for essential programs to aid children in care. 

Being there myself, I can attest to the direct relationship between the warming sun and the smiles on children's faces. At the registration table, I greeted the eager families who were ex...
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Is a blog a space for one to vent about whatever is the "bugging me" issue of the day? Or, is it a public venue that encourages free thought, which can be used to inform, encourage, and inspire others? Being a democratic, liberal minded urban dweller in a conservative, public service dominated city of a privileged country, I am choosing to be absolutely politically correct in my response to that question. It is both. And thus, I begin my rant.

I have been wondering for a long time (a.k.a. one ...
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In looking at the factors that protect young people from eating disorders and ideas of suicide, Dr. Martine Flament, director of the Youth Research Unit at the Royal Ottawa Hospital Health Care Group, says it is not the adverse situations that happen to children, but rather, the coping strategies they use to face everyday setback and traumatic events that makes all the difference. She reports that self esteem is the basis for developing healthy coping strategies. To build self esteem, childre...
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