A lady I know as Patti commented, “So much of our efforts and energy as adoptive parents seem to circle around whether we are reaching them, getting through somehow. But we might never see something that looks like it with our children. Instead, it might break free as they look at their own children some day. I know. I am the child of an older adopted child.

I know this too as I look at my 16 grandchildren. I am extremely proud of the way my adopted children have parented their children.

A son who was arrested four times before he had a daughter is now a wonderful father, he’s strict and trying to get her into an exclusive private school in an effort to surround her with high achievers. She’s not even four yet and he’s deathly afraid of the boys who will someday be attracted to her.

My friend Sharon is a mother of a large adoptive family, she too was adopted and I know several other mothers as well who’ve now excelled as parents even though they once lived in harsh circumstances.

One of my daughters had me raise three of her children, afraid then of parenting, knowing she was in no position to do so, now finishing up a college degree with plans to work on her Master’s degree next. Her three children have lived with me since birth, have been adopted by me, and have lived here in this house every minute of their lives, now they are 7, 10 and 11.

I feel as if the knowledge I was given yesterday, the reassurance that all my children are doing better than their birth parents ever did, this armed me as a mom to continue in spite of some very tough days.

JStevens gave me a beautiful gift with her words.

I’ve discussed that theory with several of my grown children, watching their eyes widen in understanding and relief, totally satisfied with themselves, certain that they have indeed done better than their birth parents. Even my elementary school aged children have already surpassed the grade levels of their bio parents. What a confidence builder this is for them.

So while I think about a few of my lawbreaking sons right now, they’ve still done better than their birth parents and I expect even more emotional progress from them someday.

Photo Credit Anya Rice