This week I’ve received a couple of e-mails from people concerned about adoption fraud. Both of them asked me to alert my readers to common scams in the adoption world. Here’s a summary of their stories:

The ‘heartfelt plea’ scam Story #1 comes from a 28-year-old single mother of one who has completed her adoption home study. She has unsuccessfully been attempting to adopt independently for some time. She has also gone through social services, but has discovered that the social workers prefer older, married, wealthier parents.

Lately... more

This summer I was the guest on "Let's Talk Adoption," a Sacramento, California-based radio show. Host Mardie Caldwell and I discussed the topic, "Conquering Your Fears About Adoption."

I finally have the 30-minute show downloaded to my website.
Simply click the link to listen to the show and request a free tip sheet via my Web site, www.laurachristianson.com.

If you'd like to learn more about the life and writing of best-selling Christian author, Karen Kingsbury, check out the link to an article I wrote about her for the Sept/Oct. 2006 issue of Today's Christian magazine.

The article is titled, "Boomerang Blessings" and it discusses the adoption of her three sons from Haiti as well as adoption themes that recur in Karen's books.

For an in-depth, three-part profile of Karen Kingsbury, visit my website,... more

If you are in the beginning stages of contemplating adoption, you first must decide between whether you want to adopt domestically or internationally.

Many adoption agencies post informative articles on their Web sites describing the pros and cons of each method. I’ve noticed that agencies which cater to clients who adopt internationally play up the positives of international adoption, whereas agencies that cater to clients who adopt domestically focus on the positives of domestic adoption.

It’s good to acquaint yourself with the pros and cons from the perspective of both domestic and international agencies. Then weigh the pros and cons carefully, follow your heart and do... more

I’ve been reading Our Own: Adopting and Parenting the Older Child, by Trish Maskew. The author brings up lots of thought-provoking points throughout the book, one of which is the controversy over changing your adopted child’s name.

She writes:

“Some kids eagerly accept a name change, feeling that their new name is a symbol of being claimed by the family. Others hang on to their old name as a way to keep distance between them and the family, or to retain ties to their past—or maybe just because they’re used... more

In the previous post, I reviewed Cheri Register’s book, Beyond Good Intentions: A Mother Reflects on Raising Internationally Adopted Children.

One of her chapters is titled, “Believing Adoption Saves Souls.” In this chapter, Register examines the following notions:

If you're interested in adopting tweens or teens, there's a weekly TV show (that you can watch from your computer) that addresses issues specific to older child adoption.

The show is produced by the folks at You Gotta Believe!, The Older Child and Permanency Movement, Inc., based in New York state. You Gotta Believe! is a homeless prevention program that seeks to find permanent adoptive homes for teens and preteen children in foster care.

Here's how to watch the show:

Log on to www.bcat.tv/bcat any Thursday at either 12 p.m. or 8 p.m. (EST) Hit the #2... more

As I research for the chapter on older child adoption that I’m including in the book I’m writing, I’ve been reading Our Own: Adopting and Parenting the Older Child, by Trish Maskew.

Maskew recommends that prospective adoptive parents carefully examine their motives for adopting. She brings up two very good questions:

Are you adopting to rescue a needy or hurt child? Are you adopting to have the child you never... more

Part 3 of 3, Continued from the previous posts about adopting special needs children from Haiti

Location and Population Haiti is located 500+ miles south of Miami, Florida. It shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. With more than 7 million people living within its 10,000 square miles, Haiti is the most densely-populated and most poverty-stricken nation in the Western Hemisphere.

History About 95 percent of Haitians are of African origin. The remaining 5 percent are mulatto... more

Part 2 of 3, continued from the previous post

During my short-term mission trips to Haiti, I visited several orphanages, most of which were for abandoned, malnourished and special needs children. Some of the orphanages I visited were crowded with physically and mentally challenged children, most of whom will never leave the orphanage due to their age or the severity of their disability. Some of the orphanages were spotless and full of cheerful children and staff;... more