Search Results for: blog the whos who of relatives and relations

Rituals and Ceremonies For Adoptive Families

Adoptive parents are a diverse group. On average they are slightly higher income than the general population and have a slightly higher average educational level than the general populace. They come from all religious persuasions and from none. For those adoptive parents who practice a religion, that religion can be a bonding force for their new family. Families who do not practice a religion may nonetheless seek a special ritual or celebration to mark the arrival of a child and various milestones in the adoption process and in the family’s life. Some families have entrustment ceremonies when birthparents place an … Continue reading →

Santa vs. Generous Grandparents

Who needs Santa when you’ve got grandparents? There have been many times when I have seriously considered hiding some of the dozens of Christmas presents my parents have sent my daughter and attaching gift tags that read, “From: Santa Claus” and sticking them under the tree on December 25th. My parent’s generosity is overwhelming… not that I’m complaining (my kid sure isn’t). It’s just that it’s getting harder and harder for me… I mean Santa… to compete with grandma and grandpa when it comes to holiday gift giving. For the record I should note that my 4-year-old is very blessed … Continue reading →

Baby Naming Traditions

Sometimes, it is fun to think about how our ancestors may have felt about doing certain things that we ourselves are doing now. One thing that has been on my mind quite a bit lately is naming our second son, who is due in April. My husband and I had such an easy time naming our first son. He suggested a name. I decided that it was not only a great name, but a great fit with my father’s first name as the middle name. The thing that sealed the deal was that we both thought that it sounded great … Continue reading →

Three Great Books for Beginning Genealogists

If you are thinking about getting started with genealogy, there are a lot of books out there that are written with you in mind. Of course, some are better than others. Now might be a good time to think about reading a genealogy book or two so that you can begin your family history adventure feeling well informed. Here are a few that you may want to look at to see whether their style and contents appeal to you. We all know that you are not an idiot, but you have got to admit – those “Complete Idiot’s Guide” books … Continue reading →

Online Resources for Baby Names

There are a couple of things that parents can expect when they are expecting a baby, whether it is their first or their fourth. Expectant parents can expect to be bombarded with inquiries about the baby’s gender until either an ultrasound provides the news and the parents share it or the parents inform the inquisitors that they do not want to find out until baby is born, so they will just have to wait right along with them. Once baby’s gender is known, the next round of questioning begins – have you chosen a name? Anyone who has had or … Continue reading →

Ancestry.com Has Exciting Things In Store for 2012

Ancestry.com is quite possibly the largest online genealogy resource out there. Of course, the site charges a membership fee but there are constantly new resources and improvements being added to the site. There are also special events throughout the year where specific collections of records are available to everyone to search for free. It sounds like the folks at Ancestry.com have some exciting things in the works for 2012. Here are a few things that they plan to offer in the coming year. One major item that is coming soon to Ancestry.com is the 1940 United States Census, complete with … Continue reading →

China Adoption Book Report Series: Wanting a Daughter…Part Three

My last two blogs discussed Kay Ann Johnson’s research on abandonment and orphanage care in China and whether Chinese parents desire to adopt girls. This blog continues to explore domestic adoption within China. Johnson and her colleagues have interviewed 1200 Chinese adoptive families. Many of these interviews were in person, locating adoptive families by word of mouth. Johnson says that the procedural paperwork, discrimination, and expense (relative to income) faced by parents adopting internationally is far less than those faced by the Chinese families who adopted children in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Chinese authorities wanted to forestall the … Continue reading →

Book Review: The Open Adoption Experience

The Open Adoption Experience, by Lois Ruskai Melina and Sharon Kaplan Roszia, is a comprehensive resource for birth and adoptive families. It talks about options on the spectrum of openness, from non-identifying information only, to letters and photos through an intermediary, through visits on birthdays, to frequent visits. The book was written in 1993 and so has only a small section on international adoption, reflecting the fact that few international adoptions were open at that time. (Most still are, but openness—at least through letters and photos—is becoming more common.) Nevertheless, the authors briefly share the experiences of half a dozen … Continue reading →

South Pacific (1958)

My mother had the soundtrack for “South Pacific” on a record in our home, and we listened to the music over and over again. It wasn’t until I was a little bit older, though, that I saw the movie and began to appreciate all that this film represents. A World War II movie, it takes place in the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific during the year 1943. The Navy has a base there, and they’re awaiting their orders. Before they can take action, they need to enlist a spy to watch for Japanese troop movements. Their ideal man would … Continue reading →

Glossary of Special Needs Adoption-Related Terms “J-K-L”

Special Needs and Adoption-Related Terms: Adoption terms and special needs words may vary from agency to agency.The terms used in this Special Needs Adoption-Related Glossary may be slightly different from one State to another. A | B | C | D | E-F | G-H-I | J-K-L | M | N-O | P | Q-R | S | T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z Kinship care: Full-time care of a child by someone related to the child biologically or by a prior family relationship, fictive kin. L Learning disabilities (LD): One or more impairments in reading, mathematics and/or written expression skills which interfere with academic … Continue reading →