When an adoptive family travels to pick up their new child in the child’s birth country, as an international adoption coordinator, I am anxious during that first week when they meet their child, and breathe easier after the week has passed if I haven’t heard from them.  Why? Because while everyone expects it to be a week of great joy and happiness, I know from my own experience it can be quite the opposite. You see, before I became an adoption professional, I was an adoptive mom.

You may or may not have heard of the Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why. The show depicts many issues that affect teens today, including bullying, sexual assault, and suicide. It can be difficult as a parent to decipher whether or not to even allow kids to watch it, but if you do allow them, how to talk to them about the issues that arise. In her blog post, Kayla Marston, an elementary school couselor talks about the concerns regarding 13 Reasons Why as well as how to address them. 

Here are a few of the concerns:

"A Family Is What You Make It" That’s what National Public Radio Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep says. He should know – Steve is both an adopted person and an adoptive father. A few years ago Steve, Carolee, his wife, and their daughter, Ava, traveled to China to welcome Ana Xiao, a vivacious three-and-a-half-year-old, into their family. Steve and Carolee shared their adoption story, and why they trusted Barker to help them on their journey.  

Pregnant?  Our pregnancy counselors are here to listen and help.

Top 6 Things to Remember When Reviewing Child Files 

By Beverly Clarke, PWNL Program Director 

On an otherwise uneventful Friday in late November 2015, I opened my email to find a message about a little boy from Ann Morrison, the director of the domestic adoption program at Barker. He was two years old, had big beautiful eyes, lived in China, and was diagnosed with hemophilia. My husband and I were approved and waiting for a domestic adoption match, but Ann knew that our hearts were pulling us toward adopting a toddler and Barker was hoping to find that little boy’s family quickly due to his medical needs, so she sent us a little information just in case. My husband opened his email at nearly the same moment and we immediately began messaging back and forth.

Did you see?

Reading now. Cute boy.

Really cute. China?

Did you see his little feet?

Alexandre and Franciso, adoptive parents from Brazil, found themselves adopting a sibling group of three boys. While they were originally searching for one child under the age of six, after meeting siblings Patrick (12), Pablo (9), and Gabriel(6), Alexandre and Francisco couldn't adopt just one of them. In Brazil, many children who are "mixed race" are considered un-adoptable and additionally, similar to the United States, children over the age of six are less likely to be adopted.

“We decided we would find a way to make it work. We felt we had no choice.”