[ddahl]

I will add tha tI agree with Karen and DS displays all of these traits. Additionally, he is pleasant to be around and uses manners but he also flat out expects others to do what he has requested. Example: He shares and expects others to. If he asks to share and they don't, he kicks in to Survivor mode. He will have what he needs or wants. Don't get me wrong, he plays by the rules but when others don't he will not allow it to affect him. He will win no matter what. Could also be his drive to be the best at what he does. He is a dominant personality for a variety of reasons. I feel h will always do well in life becauss ehe makes things happen.

[angelkisses0102]

Originally Posted by ddahl

Example: He shares and expects others to. If he asks to share and they don't, he kicks in to Survivor mode. He will have what he needs or wants. Don't get me wrong, he plays by the rules but when others don't he will not allow it to affect him. He will win no matter what.

Yes, yes, yes...when DD was 2 she would bite kids when they didn't follow the teachers directions or hers. That was the only way she could get them to comply in her 2 year old mind. Thankfully she grew out of that.

[orenmommy]

There is no way around it for me!! School or anywhere else....the story is constantly told! Reason: I adopted two unrelated children that are only 3 months apart and look NOTHING alike. Baffles everyone! So, they ask. Are they twins? (i hear that everyday....really....everyday !! whew! ) It goes on from there.

[cathvash]

I was blindsided with the "family tree" thing last week (she JUST started kindergarten! -Who would have thought?) Alex knows she is adopted and discusses it openly. However, we made the family tree based upon my family. I did this because I wanted her to know in no uncertain terms, that she is a fully valid and valued member of THIS family, and that that this is OUR family tree. I also wanted to protect her from prying or awkward questions about her less-than-pretty birth family situation.

Frankly, I found it more awkward that I did not have a "husband's" side of the tree, and had to leave that side blank... Surely, there are long-divorced, meshed family, or other adoptive or single parents in the class in the same boat. If anyone is shocked, they need to get a dose of reality...

For baby pictures, I will just include the "toddler" pictures of my kids - no explanations. To me (and many others) those ARE baby pictures. If they specify "birth" pictures, I may have to lecture them about being insensitive... In fact, you guys with older children have me thinking that if I get a whiff of this assignment in the future, I'll recommend a re-wording to a "picture from when you joined your family".

OOOoooooh - You guys are scaring me! My little one newly home is definitely showing those same "Survivor skills"!! He is incredibly feisty (but cute as a button, this one)... Sounds like a new thread in the making...

[tbristow]

I definitely remember going through the baby picture thing with my girls. We do have the referral picture and the ones on trip1 where he was about 10 months so those should do fine. I was never asked for a newborn picture. If we end up adopting again and he's older, I'm not sure what I'll do. I suppose we'll discuss how to handle it with him. I've even heard of using somebody else's newborn picture. I don't know if I could go that route or not.

As for the survival skills, Hunter has pretty much most of those but has never really had any trouble that I am aware of. He acts a lot like a boy version of my (I wasn't called the Tiny Tornado or Terri the Terrible for nothing!!!) The competition and self-sufficient thing don't fit, but he did make my dad come back and eat in the kitchen when we were there.

[amyfk]

So far my child is kind of young for school. She is enrolled in a mommy and me class at our local synagogue. The Rabbi and the shul knows that she is adopted, but I really dont know if the teacher does know. So far she luckily hasnt shown any need for special ed or special services, so I havent had to bring up the adoption part. I think I"m not going to mention it, however, if it does come up at some point, I won't keep it a secret either.
As I have mentioned to the board, my child is of Roma heritage(at least 1/2 Roma). She can pass as a caucasian child who has olive skin. Many folks say she looks like my bio child. I have dark features but fair skin. I think as a result, when I have to fill out forms for her I will just put "caucasian." If she were darker complected and it were more obvious, then I would think harder about how to classify her.
Amy K, NJ