A Sunday Morning Like Most Sunday Mornings

at least so far. Things have been pretty uneventful here this weekend. I'm till pushing to get my stuff done for my next trip, but the kids have been pretty mellow. I had to consequence Sadie yesterday and afterwards was very impressed with her maturity in accepting her consequences without arguing or begging. I made sure to tell her so. What could have been an unpleasant conversation with Salinda was received well too, so we are making some progress.

We had water in our basement.... which caused a bit of a stir, but it's been cleaned up. Laundry is done for the trip -- just emptied the suitcase into the washer, then dryer, then folded it and put it right back in.

Now it's time for me to wake everyone up. Church, then Sunday School, then Church, then lunch out....

Busy morning ahead.....

A Question for Parents

I have an adopted daughter who will be 12 soon. She is taller than me and out weighs me at this point. She can be very aggressive and this morning when I would do what she asked me to do for her, she shoved me and left the house, later to return and hide. My question is, what type of discipline would you use to deter aggressive behavior. Her bio father is a violent man, bio sibs tend to be aggressive, one is my son, 2 other we have contact with but she never lived with. I left this situation with a, your grounded until I am calm enough to make a decision on your discipline, so any suggestions. This is not the first time she has slapped me but I have recently had some health issues and I con not let her continue to be aggressive, I have younger children in the home and will not have one of my children set the example that it is OK to hit Mom.

A Question for Large Families

We would like to hear more stories of large families and how big their houses are and where and how they put all the kids in bedrooms.   We currently have adopted 5 (1 is out of the house now) the other 4 are ages 4-13 (only have 1 girl) we’re in a 3 bedroom house & basement if ever gets finished we’d have 2 more, but our 13 girl stays down there already (she wants to).    We would love to adopt more children but think we’re running out of space (1 of our boys who is 12 is separated in his own room, because of possible sexually abused by birth parent/family).   We think of selling to find bigger but these days won’t get what we owe for our house, so can’t do that.   We live on 10 acres but also can’t afford to add on (I stay home with the little ones).    So just would like to hear stories about how everyone else fits the children in.   Also 3 out of the 5 for sure have “Fetal alcohol syndrome” possible our daughter does too but more mild then the boys.  The youngest was a Meth child and so far is just hyper. 

Question from a Parent about Transition Times

My question is about transition. Here they like to drag it out upwards of 6 months (at least for school age kids). What is a good transition time for kids? Does it depend on age?

Question for Professionals from a Parent

We arew parents of a 2 year 4 month old girl and have been her parents since day 2. She had drugs in her system at birth. The questions we have for you are:

She hit's us, our dog and other children. Except in a day care which she goes to once a week and she has friends there. Later on we have started her in a parent/toddler class once a week and she has been hiiting the children two or three times, and this week twice in a day. She does not know the children or parents in the parent-toddler class, as well as she does in the days care. The teacher in the daycare is much ore interactive and nurturing than in the parent-toddler class.

The problem has existed for quite awhile, at least since last summer. In the past we would grab her arms and scold her. More recently, we have timed her out, but nothing seems to work. Maybe she is trying to be friendly and doesn't knwo how. Her teacher in her parent-toddler class wants to send her home now, after one hit, to which I objected. I would like to move her but want to give the teacher a chance to work something out--I feel that she doesn't want to work with our child, or is it school policy that she send her home? I talked to the vice pricipal and she said she was surprised that this teacher wanted to send Savannah h ome when she was such a proponent of positive discipline.

Do you have any suggestions?

Savannah is quite verbal.

The other question involves my saying to my child that her behavior is "bad" and I may have said that she was bad when I was scolding her. I regret this because now she says mommy/daddy is bad, the dog is bad, and when asked if she is bad she says yes (although I don't really think she knows what bad is, she has picked up on my inflection and stern demeanor). What can I do now? We have been telling her that she is a good girl at every oopportunity we have.

Steven

Question from A Parent

Hi
I have 2 adopted children - a daughter of 3.5 years and a son of 2.2 years. Both were adopted at birth and we have openly spoken about adoption since they were born.
I would like to write up their adoption story and share it with friends and families once it has been told to my children. I was just wondering if anyone has done this and has some good ideas to share about how to do it and what to say at this stage in their lives since they are obviously still quite young.
I look forward to hearing from you.
regards
Lorienne

Children Needing Residential Care

Many adoptive families are now reporting horror stories of having to have a "Child in Need of Protection or Services" petition filed in order for their adopted son or daughter with multiple issues to receive residential care.

Are there other ways less incriminating ways that families can access funding for residential treatment when it is not safe for their adopted child to live at home?