Well there is nothing like a birthday party for your new child. It is amazing to check out all the new themes they have for kids party planning.

For Angela's birthday party on May 30 th. She asked for us to do a care bear there. She loves night time bear and rainbow bear. So I was amazed at all the party items they had and the reasonable prices available at: http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/

All I had to do is type in Carebear and a list with prices and descriptions came up. You could type in your order and process it there.

Shopping... more

Some times our kid's need a little helping hand in remembering what we ask them to do. If you are a parent of a child who is old enough to start helping out around the house...You will know what I mean.

Some children just do not comprehend and know how to complete tasks from start to finish. So they ask mom or dad over and over how to do whatever it is they are attempting to do.

I thought I would take a moment and list a few things that might be great to put on a child's list of To Do's and To Not Do's. Making a list and posting it in words your child can read will not only help you save all the questions. It will also help you to encourage your child to read.

Toddlers... more

I have tried to cover a lot of different areas in our Older Child Adoption Blog. I am sure there are other great things I am missing out on.

I do not know a lot about out of country and international adoption so I need some help from all of you out there. If you have an older child you have adopted from out of America and have issues that you have found difficult. Please feel free to off us some good comments. We are here to help other adoptive parents.

What do you need to know? What questions would you like us to address? What issues have you experienced and want others to know about?

If you do not leave a comment I will not know you are following our topics.

So... more

The school system in our area is excellent at our elementary level. They have very creative teaching methods and they offer the children chances to grow in all areas of learning by touch and on hand experience.

Today was our daughter Angela's "Special Person Day." Each year the kids practice three songs and each song includes some type of dance moves or sign language.

All the parents and guests gather in the school gym room and we listen to our children and the other classes with them perform. Then we got to our child's classroom and we see the work they have done all year.

There is also a book fair that they have open for parents and children to attend. It helps... more

Watching out over the children as they played in the back yard. I watched how each child moved and took note of their body language.

Some were filled with happiness and everything they did how they moved their arms and legs to the bright smiles upon their faces. Sang out the joy they felt deep inside.

Some of the kids let their arms hang at their side. When someone talked to them they didn't make eye contact. Their little heads dropped down. You could see that their confidence was low and they needed someone's personal touch and interaction to help them along.

I watched as one child put everything he had into helping the other children play. He ran for the... more

You know it is a Good Friday when you turn the T. V. on to watch Dr. Phil and there he sits with a beautiful lady who has been a foster mom since she was 23.

Elaine is now 30. What is so beautiful about her is at the tender age of 23 she became a foster mom for older children and handicapped children who no one else wanted to take in.

She has one biological child and 4 children with emotional needs that she has adopted. Which to me makes her even more precious to our world.

Elaine lives in New Jersy and was elected adoptive mom of the year. She has had over 50 children in her home since she first opened her doors to children.

Dr. Phil and his wife spot lighted... more

When you have foster children or have adopted children that are older. They sometimes have a different religious belief than you may have.

So it vitally important to learn what you can about each child and help them to honor their own holiday traditions. As well as making them feel free to learn and participate in your traditions.

Everyone has the right to believe in different ways. Just as we pick our own type of style in clothing and decor. So learning about different religions and the reasoning behind what they believe is an educational event.

Encouraging a child to believe in their higher power what ever that may be can only help them find a firm... more

Special Needs Children. Are they right for you and your family?

This is a question that a lot of adoptive families go through if they find adoption is a good way of life for their family.

Some moms who have a lot of time on their hands and stay at home a lot may find it so rewarding that they can be so much help to a child who needs them.

The range of disabilities is enormous, from very mild to very severe. One foster mom we know specializes in the care of severely impaired children. She has one child who can not get out of bed. He is on a breathing tube and has multiple issues that need her attentions every hour of the day and night.

As a retired ER Nurse... more

The past week or so the sun has been out and the weather has been so nice here in Michigan. All of the kids are getting out side and riding their bikes and playing games.

My daughter recently met two little girls her own age. They live about a block away from us and now she is begging us to increase her boundaries again. She is just too little to go over to the other block alone, so she is really sad that we said no.

However the girls' mom and I discussed the buddy system. If they are together it is ok to walk the distance if they call the one mom as they leave and call the other when they get there.

Paige is 7 and will be turning 8 on May 30th, so she feels like... more

There are a lot of kids out there just waiting to have a loving family to call their own. The older they get the less likely they will be adopted.

Everybody thinks that if you adopt, you need a young child so you can teach it good manners and it won't be so hard to raise. Or they go for the cuddly babies.

While I am sure every child needs a good family, I am absolutely sure that the older children out there are just as deserving of a good home and family life.

Recently I checked out the web site Rainbowkids.com. I found a list of kids all over the world waiting for adoption. When I looked at all those... more