Caregivers are often overworked and underpaid. In fact, often times caregivers don’t even like their jobs and do not handle the children well. However, in countries like Guatemala it seems as if the foster mothers take great care in raising the children but one may never know what happens in the homes.

Abuse may be as simple as neglecting to change diapers or not feeding children often enough. Or, it may be as harsh as hitting them with brooms to keep them quiet.

Do you believe your child was abused?

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Question: Abuse

or

What do you think the food will be like in the country you are going to travel to?

Do you think that your child will like the food you have in your refrigerator? I know that we tried to keep AJ’s food the same but he took delight in some of the new foods. We fed him yogurt and bananas, baby rice cereal (he did not like our oatmeal), animal crackers, and graham crackers, etc. We tried to get him to eat meat and some cheeses but we found out that he was very lactose intolerant. He loved the Gerber crackers and fruit puffs because they had just enough sweetness in them that they were like candy for him.

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Question: Food

Now, really listen. Is there a washing machine or dryer running? Is there a dishwasher running too? What about a phone ringing in the background or even next door? Think about all of the things that your child will be hearing for the very first time.

AJ had NEVER heard any of those things and was very scared of all of them, except the phone…Eric taught him to talk to President Bush while we were on the airplane. Why he couldn’t have him talk to a Democrat I’ll never know.

One of the worst things in our house was the vacuum and I could not vacuum the house while AJ was home for almost a year. Only after my Mother in Law purchased him a toy vacuum for Christmas did he start to see that it was not going to hurt him. And even then I had to either vacuum with him in a sling or with him sitting in his crib, one of the only places he felt truly safe.

Question: What sounds do you foresee your child fearing or what sounds were frightening to your child?

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Question of the Week: Sounds

Question and Activity One:  Imagine your child or what your child may potentially look like. If you already know your child or what your child looks like, does he or she look like you imagined he would? Explain. If you don’t know your child what does she look like and why do you think she will look this way? Chose the race, gender, color of the eyes, etc.

Then, explain why you chose those things.

Photo by Marcie Pickelsimer

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Question of the Week: Adoption Faces