[Kendal]

I would say with our first adoption, I was both unprepared and our agency did not do very much to prepare us.

It was not until we got home with our girls that I started doing some reading. One of our twins was really having some attachment issues. It was then we sought some help. Not really through our agency, but with books, etc. I remember reading The Toddler Adoption quite a while after getting home and thinking, "Oh, I wish I had read this BEFORE we adopted our girls". I made HUGE errors in judgement the first year we were home with the girls. I think I also suffered from Post Adoption Depression, but did not really admit to myself until I was coming out the otherside.

Fast forward 4 years, and I was much better prepared for our second adoption. From both our agency (same agency), and myself. The bonding process was so much smoother. But I will say our son's background was a much simpler one.

I think it is the responsiblity of all adoptive parents to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.