Are there medical and mental health professionals in my community skilled in handling adoption issues?
If not, be willing to find them elsewhere. How will I handle issues specifically related to adoption? Some older children may find birthdays difficult because it reminds them of unknowns. Some children may face racism if they’re adopted by parents of different ethnic backgrounds. For example, do you know what it’s like to be Chinese in America? You may not, but your daughter will. You won’t be able to provide all the answers and experiences firsthand to help her navigate life, so you’ll need to tap resources for help. You’ll also need to balance between watching for adoption-related issues and assuming all problems are adoption-based. “It could just be normal kid stuff!” says Sumiec. Am I willing to connect my child with his heritage if it’s different than mine? Support and social groups, such as Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption, give your child a chance to just be a kid with other kids like him. Likewise, are you willing to celebrate your own heritage? Celebrating diversity
