Some Resources

Parenting Your Adopted School-Age Child

Adoption can add layers of complexity to the developmental tasks of children between the ages of 6 and 12. This factsheet will help adoptive parents understand and respond to their school-age child's developmental needs. It provides practical strategies to help them foster healthy development, including approaches for building attachment, talking honestly with the child about adoption, acknowledging his or her adoptive history, using appropriate discipline, and enhancing the child's school experience.

Parenting Your Adopted Teenager

During the teenage years, youth form an identity that is separate from their parents. Adoption complicates the normal developmental tasks of teenagers, even those who were adopted as newborns. This factsheet will help adoptive parents understand their teenager's' needs so they can respond with strategies that foster healthy development. It presents tips for talking about adoption with their adopted teen, strategies for providing guidance, appropriate discipline, and opportunities to master adult tasks as he or she takes on greater independence.