The other day I mentioned some great books for immigrant kids along with a giveaway for someone who shared more ideas. I then promptly forgot about the giveaway (where IS my brain lately??) Anyway, the winner of the book is Mariah, who shared book after book after book on her awesome list! Mariah, email me privately and I'll send you your book.

I also wanted to share the some more of the books that my family has read and enjoyed over our years of parenting adopted kids. You can locate most of these books on Adoptionshop, Amazon... more

Not all adopted children will have attachment issues. But we as adoptive families would be wise to learn all we can about attachment so we can effectively parent our children if issues come up. Here are some of the most helpful attachment-related books I have read:

Attaching in Adoption by Deborah Gray This book is a great overview to help children of any age get well settled into their new family. It discusses factors that may affect attachment, common issue at various stages, and has lots of specific ways parents can help their children settle in well. I think... more

(Book giveaway at bottom of post)

Currently I am planning our homeschooling school year to incorporate our two newest daughters from Ethiopia. This is the first time we've adopted older kids, so it is also the first time I've homeschooled with a language barrier. My initial plan includes simple math, handwriting, and lots and lots of reading to gradually boost the girls' vocabulary.

I will begin by reading simple children's books to the girls, ones where pictures help provide a clue as to the context of the book. This week I plan to scour our bookshelves for books that feature kids of many colors, as well as stories that will be interesting to older elementary kids and... more

Almost all kids have points during childhood when sadness gets to them. Adopted kids can at times struggle with their emotions even more. Not only do they have all the normal stresses of childhood, but they also have the added questions and issues that come with adoption. Even the most well adjusted adopted kid can wonder about the reasons for their relinquishment, and fear that maybe they caused their birth parent to give them up somehow.

Some sadness passes in a few days. Other sadness is deep and long lasting, and can be very concerning to both child and parent. According to teendepression.org, here are some signs that... more

I am pulling this post from last March to the top of the blog today because I think it would be great if we sent Rosetta Stone another volley of requests for an Amharic program. Will you consider contact Rosetta Stone sometime this week? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I talked yesterday about how much I love the Rosetta Stone language learning system and how much I wish they'd make an Amharic program. Anyone else wish there were more options out there?

If... more

Almost all parents want to document those precious moments when they see their child for the first time. But when you're packing to travel internationally, your bags can fill surprisingly fast. You may not want to pack lots of bulky video equipment.

I've found a really great camcorder that may make a little more space in that crammed suitcase of yours. A couple months ago on photojojo, I read about a cute new camcorder called the FLip, and it interested me immediately because of its size and ease of use.

It is no... more

Over my years of adoptive parenting, I have borrowed or bought a tall stack of adoption-related books. Adoption is such a broad topic and people's experiences and needs are so different that it is hard to get the majority of questions answered with just a book or two. A family adopting a Black newborn domestically is going to have different needs that one who is adopting a FAS-affected preschooler out of a Russian orphanage.

No one book can cover every issue, and that's okay. I personally think that we adoptive parents should strive to be as well informed as we possible can be, and in my mind that means reading -- a lot. However, I realize that not nearly everyone enjoys reading,... more

Rebecca Haile’s Held at a Distance: My Rediscovery of Ethiopia is the first hand account of a woman’s journey back to Ethiopia as an adult after leaving at the age of eleven. Haile’s father, a leading academic in Addis Ababa, was shot while “resisting arrest” after a military coup in 1974, and escaped with his family to America where he settled in central Minnesota. Once grown and married, Rebecca felt compelled to visit Ethiopia again, and was able to visit relatives who still live there. One particularly memorable... more

I was sent a copy of this rhyming alphabet book to review. I enjoyed paging through the lovely pictures, and my little girls enjoyed looking at this book with me too. Each picture was taken in Ethiopia and highlights an aspect of Ethiopian culture. It is a perfect introduction for someone learning about Ethiopia for the first time, and features food, clothing, and historical sites among other things.

The book was written by Lori Prodan and Keith Holmes. The authors of this book lived in Awassa, Ethiopia for two years as part of a Voluntary... more

My good friend Kelli recommended a movie last week so highly that I immediately added it to my Netflick queue. This evening we watched it, and now, while I am still dabbing the tears from my eyes, I want to tell you about it.

The movie is called "I Am David". It tells the story of a little boy who got stuck in a concentration camp in Bulgaria with his father after World War II. I don't want to tell you the whole story, because I don't want to give it all away. For that same reason, I'm not linking to a review of the movie. But the gist of the movie is this: through the kindness of many different strangers, a child was saved and given... more