A new study out of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows that children neglected before the age of two display higher levels of aggressive behavior between the ages of 4 and 8.
A child was considered neglected if his parents or caregivers did not provide supervision or food, clothing, or shelter. Abuse was sexual or physical.
The aggression was defined as arguing, cruelty to others, destruction of property, disobedience, and threatening of fighting. It was based on the primary caregiver’s perceptions when the child was 4,6, and 8.
I wonder what they would find if they interviewed parents of children …read more

As soon as Elaine Soonen found out that her son, Richard, wanted to take out some of his classmates, she took action. In fact, he wanted to strangle them, to get back at them.

A while back I posted a poll to find out what you wanted to read about this year. Most of you wanted to know about our daily lives and about how we deal with adoption and the issues that arise everyday.

On an average day we don’t deal with adoption. On an average day we deal with AJ’s special needs. What is really interesting is that I have had this post in cue for about three weeks, since before we saw the psychiatrist and before this startling article on restraint and adoptive parents.

Yesterday AJ and I had an episode at the library that actually, for the first time, scared me. Sure, I have dealt with his aggression and his anger all before but this time I almost drove him straight to the doctor because I did not know how to handle him.
He got upset because I would not allow him to keep the key to the bathroom (they have a key to let you into the bathroom, not sure why but they do). I quietly asked him to give it back and explained that it was not his to keep or play …read more

Since starting this blog I regret to say that I have not had time to introduce myself…and I don’t even have a second to write that now. I will do that this week. You probably want to know why and its a personal reason…an adoption one in fact.I’m currently working on some issues with our son, our first adopted son, AJ.