tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350139760073751528.post6271141331170931253..comments2023-06-09T07:22:47.286-07:00Comments on Be the Change: The BoxLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102386831601533628noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350139760073751528.post-75952474319786471922010-06-29T18:25:02.953-07:002010-06-29T18:25:02.953-07:00I hear you. I don’t want to become complacent and ...I hear you. I don’t want to become complacent and satisfied with the status quo. It’s just lonely sometimes when you feel so different from everyone else. Ideally, I would be able to convince others to join me in being whatever change we can in the world, but most people just find my passion odd. <br /><br />In answer to your first question, for the past 16 years, most of my life has been spent as a pesco-ovo-vegetarian (sometimes lacto being thrown in there if Goat’s milk/cheese is a decent price) or a flexitarian. I tend to do what works for me. For the first 4 months of this year I was a Pesco-ovo-lacto-vegetarian. Right now I'm a flexitarian. I tend to get burned out making separate food for me and for the rest of my family, so after a few months of vegetarianism, I tend to switch back to flexitarianism--which is my husband and daughter's preferred way to eat (a testament to my accomplishments right there, I assure you--when I met each of them, "carnivore" could have described either one!)<br /><br />In answer to your second question. My advice would be that when you're dealing with an older child adoption, you have to remember that you're dealing with a wounded child, and you need to help them heal. Obviously love doesn't fix everything (and when you're in the process you do learn of resources to help your child as well), but showing a strong committed love to someone who has never known commitment and love, goes a long way towards that healing. <br /><br />I also recommend checking out the books, <br /><br />The Adoption Resource Book by Lois Gilman<br /><br />You Can Adopt: An Adoptive Families Guide by Susan Caughman, Isolde Motley<br /><br />I like both of these books because they not only explain the process, but have first person accounts, and each address issues like older child adjustment and transracial adoption (which is great, because you never know--the right child for you may not look like you. I've met African American parents with Anglo or Latino children, and Latino parents with African American or Anglo kiddos...and there are those like my family...we're a hodge podge of ethnicity!).<br /><br />I also love Adoptive Families Magazine. This magazine is amazing --lots of first person stories, as well as amazing advice for many things you encounter in adoption (and they specifically address older child adoption frequently.)<br /><br />Adoptive Families magazine also has online forums where people go to talk adoption --you can find a lot of interesting info there: <br /><br />http://www.adoptivefamiliescircle.com/forums/<br /><br />And here's a great blog on older child adoption:<br /><br />http://adoptionlivestransformed.org/Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04102386831601533628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350139760073751528.post-67150927770787446772010-06-29T09:19:26.772-07:002010-06-29T09:19:26.772-07:00As a pretty unconventional person myself I feel yo...As a pretty unconventional person myself I feel you on so many levels.<br /><br />There was (is?) a part of me that yearned to be more conventional but then I look at what horrible shape our world is in and if convention brought us here, I certainly don't much to do with convention.<br /><br />Also, did I detect a hint that you are vegetarian or vegan on this post? lol<br /><br />And finally, can you give me any advice and/or point me to any websites that deal with the rewards/challenges of adopting older children?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com