Myths or Reality?

Newsletter #40 for Internationally Adopting Parents
November 19, 2006
PAL Center Inc.

In this issue

Group Consultation #2

Difficulties of the initial adjustment period in international adoption

Post-adoption family consultation and counceling

The format of a group consultation:

Focused on a specific post-adoption issue, a small group of 3-8 families (parents, no children) gathers at the BGCenter on the date and time, scheduled for the group of your choice led by one or several moderators.

A moderator is a professional (child psychologist, therapist, pediatrician, school administrator or lawyer) specializing in the related services to adoptive families and/or children.

Every consultation includes:

Introduction

The moderator's presentation on the specified issue

Case presentation by each family with group discussion and the moderator's recommendations

Concluding remarks by the moderator: action plan for dealing with the problem in question

The length of a consultation session is 3 hours.

Moderators:

Shulamit Rishik, Certified Bilingual Psychotherapist

During the session we will address the following questions:

Adoptive families' expectations and realities

Setting daily routines and establishing priorities

How to deal with behavioral and/or emotional disturbances: excessive aggression, emotional detachment/ aloofness or the reverse of it: overly clingy or needy behavior, etc.?

Practical bonding and attachment between you and your older child (what works and what doesn't)

Overcoming cultural differences and language barrier

Are you adapting to a new situation?

Prices and schedules will be announced

You receive this newsletter as a former client or correspondent of
the Center for Cognitive-Developmental Assessment & Remediation, or a former student
of the BGCenter Online School,
or a user of the International Adoption Articles Directory.

Latest Articles
from the
International Adoption Articles Directory

BGCenter Visits Green Chimneys School

This passed Friday Dr. and Mrs. Gindis visited Green Chimneys, a well known school for special need children in Brewster, New York, where among 180 current students 9 children are internationally adopted and 2 are the former patients of Dr. Gindis.

The school is truly impressive with various facilities, enormous amount of offered activities with domestic animals and wild birds brought here for rehabilitation (just like children themselves). All year round school classes for residents and daytime students who stay here on average 20-22 months, huge swimming pool and a variety of workshops, and certainly a dedicated staff of about 200 professionals and specialists (pretty much one on one learning!) make a difference for those who at their 6-10 were already near the end of everything their family and school district could offer and still struggling.

How is that done? Our impression was that besides good organization, and funding, and dedication of the staff there was something very important: the children were not just kept occupied by classes and fancy activities - they were busy doing something for others: grooming animals, training dogs for blind and caring for injured wild life. These activities apparently changed the focus from doing something for yourself to doing this to make others happier and healthier. At last somebody else needed them and their help - this feeling heals emotionally!

The Green Chimney School does not need advertisement; it exists since 1947, and you can find about their work and how to apply for admission on their site at http://www.greenchimneys.org, in their brochures, CDs and stories of several generations of students. Here is how they definite their goals (from the Green Chimneys School brochure "Restoring Possibilities"):

"Traditional schooling doesn't work for every student. Some children struggle with learning, behavioral or emotional issues. They may be tuned out, turned off or left out. At Green Chimneys, we know about these challenge. We've been breaking down learning barriers since 1947 and helping every child be the best he or she can be.

At Green Chimneys School, we help children with special needs. Our state approved Therapeutic Day School and Residential Programs are available to students from throughout New York State and the surrounding regions.

At Green Chimneys, we combine traditional instruction with a broad range of innovative educational activities and counseling services to engage students who previously have been alienated and unmanageable in school.."

From the Editor

From our database

Myths or Reality?

Ruth Lyn Meese
A Few New Children: Postinstitutionalized children of Intercountry Adoption
Research regarding children of intercountry adoption is limited, and most children of intercountry adoption have complex histories that may place them at risk for difficulty or failure in the classroom. Although the performances of some children from orphanage environments approximate those of chronological-age peers 2 to 4 years postadoption, duration of deprivation is consistently related, both historically and currently, to the cognitive delays and behavioral difficulties displayed by many postinstitutionalized children. Research regarding children of intercountry adoption is reviewed, and recommendations for future research are offered.

Martha Osborne
Real Happy Endings: Adoption Myths
Whether exploring the decision to adopt a child as an infant through domestic or international adoption or to adopt an older child through the child welfare and foster care system, it is understandable prospective adoptive singles and couples would wonder about the possible outcomes of the effects of adoption on children. Virtually everyone has heard 2nd or even 3rd hand of an adoption story with a painful or horrible ending for both the child and family. The media grabs onto these rare occurrences and shamelessly focuses on the pain and heartache of all involved.