Do you have an adopted or foster child? If not, have you considered fostering a child or adopting a child? What is stopping you? What inspired you to do it? Whatever the case, adopting and fostering a child is one of the most difficult, intimidating, and humbling experiences for many families. It’s also quite admirable. Adopting or fostering a child (or teenager) will take a great deal of support from your “village” and knowledge about attachment, trauma, and patience. Sadly, for many eager adoptive and foster parents, the idea of adopting or fostering a child often outweighs the potential downsides and challenges that come with raising an adopted or fostered child. Many families find themselves helplessly searching for support when their adopted or foster child begins to show signs of mental illness, attachment trauma, or behavioral problems. One of my previous families described it like this:
“I went to Uganda and adopted MiMa and she was the sweetest child I had ever seen. Once back in the U.S., she began to scratch me, bite me, hit and kick me, I didn’t know what to do. Not only did we not bond, but she was developing behaviors I had never seen before. It was awful!”
Does this sound familiar? This article will explore the challenges often faced by adoptive/foster families and discuss 12 things that adoptive and foster children with mental or behavioral health challenges wish their parents knew.
[For more of this story, written by Támara Hill, go to http://blogs.psychcentral.com/...lness-wish-you-knew/]
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