Parenthood

Parenthood in an adoptive family has is similarities and differences to biological parenthood. The adoption experience, however, can bring in a few issues that regular parenting books may not talk about. Bonding, for example, is something that is important for older adoptees who need a sense of permanency and acceptance.

There are the basics of adoptive parenthood, which include using positive language to describe adoption and a child's birth parents. And then there are the obstacles that every adoptive parent must go through, which include telling the child about his or her adoption. The questions will get progressively more complex and may even lead to wanting to know more about his or her birth parents. Many experts suggest encouraging these questions.

And then there are the difficult issues of adoptive parenthood, which include dealing with persistent birth relatives and mental, physical or behavioral issues that may develop in a child as she or he matures. Some parents may be too strict or have exceedingly high expectations of their adopted child and this is counterproductive. Adoption can turn everyone's worlds topsy-turvy, so it's important to establish communication with the child and to assume a responsible adult role in the situation. The dissolution or disruption of adoption are both heartbreaking scenarios that sometimes can't be avoided. This is especially true for older children who have been in multiple homes or were removed by the state from their biological parents.