[mommy2fiveplus]

It has been my experience (as I am 26 and not so far from my teen years) that all teens will "resent" their parents for one thing or another, so this might be his reason, who know's what the other kids will pick to be thiers.

I doubt I will phrase it in the same words I used on this site to explain it to him, so I think with your feedback I will choose my words more carefully when I explain it to him. I might say "your parent's and the rest of your bio family really wanted you to grow up with them, and they tried to do the things they needed to, but in the end a judge thought you would be happy and healthy growing up with us." I have had quite a lot of practice telling my foster kids happy and unhappy news, sometimes there is no way to "soften the blow" but it is the meaning under the words that they will understand when they are older.

I hope that the knowledge that so many people really wanted him will help him get through the really tight spots in life, so that he doesn't think he was "2nd best" like a lot of the posters I read on the Adoptee forum.