Adoption: Comparison of Parenting by Adoptive and Biological Parents

Adoption Friends:

Wanted to let you know about research reported in the February 2007 issue of the American Sociological Review (the journal of the American Sociological Association) titled, “Adoptive Parents, Adaptive Parents: Evaluating the Importance of Biological Ties for Parental Investment.”

While the article doesn't appear to be available on-line (other than for a $20 fee from IngentaConnect.com), according to "Adoptive Parents Invest as Much in Raising Children as Biological Parents Do" on SpiritIndia.com the researchers "examined how much parents spend on their children in terms of time and other resources." They report, "this study provides timely and definitive evidence that adoptive parents invest just as much in raising their children as do biological parents."

That's good news - for both adoptive parents and their children. In fact, according to the abstract posted on IngentaConnect.com, "these patterns suggest that adoptive parents enrich their children's lives to compensate for the lack of biological ties and the extra challenges of adoption."

Of course, as adoptive parents we already knew this in our hearts. However, it is kind of nice to see it in an independent study.

Robin Bartko

Visit ThinkingOfAdopting.com for independent information and inspiration for your international adoption journey.

Jessica Simpson Helps Orphanage

Adoption Friends:

It's always to good hear when someone is helping children who need a home ...

According to an article on People.com, Jessica Simpson has been helping Casa Hogar Elim orphanage in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. She's in the process of donating a new seven passenger van to the orphanage, and is currently auctioning the red dress that she wore in a 2007 Super Bowl Pizza Hut commercial to benefit the orphanage on eBay.

Interestingly, some are critical of Jessica Simpson because donating the van isn't costing her any money. Apparently, she won a sports car as part of the MTV's music video awards and, instead of taking the car, asked Chrysler to change it to a van and sent it to the orphanage instead.

Personally, I think what Jessica Simpson is doing is great! Of all the things she could have done with the sports car she thought to help children in need. Of all the things she could have done with the dress (including simply putting it in the closet), she thought to use it as a way to help the orphanage and raise awareness of its needs.

I still vividly remember leaving the orphanage in Russia with my youngest son, thinking of all the children left behind who weren't going home that day to their forever family. There's so many children who need homes all over the world. My kudos for Jessica Simpson for thinking of the children in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico and choosing to help!

Robin Bartko

PS: Interested on seeing how the auction is going on eBay? Click here. I hope the auction is a great success!

Visit ThinkingOfAdopting.com for independent information and inspiration for your international adoption journey.

Russia on Adoption: All Orphans Should Get a Foster Family

Adoption Friends,

I believe you'll find the information in a 2/8/2007 article on the ITAR-TASS News Agency web site very interesting. It appears that the Russian Government is attempting to create incentives to transition Russian orphans from orphanages to foster care and to encourage adoption in Russia.

According to the article, the Russian Government is examining a program called "Russian Children" that is "aimed at creating favorable conditions for children's life and state support for children", and expects to spend 47.845 billion roubles (approximately $1.9 billion US, I believe) to implement the program from 2007-2010.

Some of the statistics in the article are very interesting. For example, according to the Russian Ministry of Health and Social Development, Russia has "765,000 children left without parents' attention". Orphans, I assume. You can really appreciate the magnitude of this number when you consider that only 3,706 Russian children were adopted by families in the US in 2006 (see our International Adoption Statistics Page). It further states that 260,000 roubles (approximately $9,900 US) are annually needed for the upkeep of one child in a family with an average income."

However, most importantly, it states, "the government sets the task that all orphans should get into a foster family. This will help to reorient orphanages. [...] The family gets from the state 250,000 roubles not only for the birth of its own child, but also for adoption of the second and subsequent children."

The article closes with the following quote, "All this inspires hope that there will be no orphans in our country, while living standards of children and parents will improve substantially." What a wonderful goal. I pray it succeeds. Until then, I thank God for all that have and will take a "leap of faith" and adopt one of these children, bringing joy into their own hearts and giving one more child a forever home.

You can read the artcile by clicking on the following link:
http://www.tass.ru/eng/level2.html?NewsID=11230685&PageNum=0

Robin Bartko

Visit ThinkingOfAdopting.com for independent information and inspiration for your international adoption journey.

Is There a Chinese Baby Shortage?

With new regulations taking place, the China adoption process has been getting much press. I wanted to let you know about an article that appeared in the January 23, 2007 edition of the New York Times, "The Mystery of the Chinese Baby Storage", written by Beth Nonte Russel (an adoptive parent of two children from China).

This article discusses the controversy regarding the alledged shortage of Chinese children available for adoption. Beth Nonte Russel discusses the issues with Dr. Patrick Mason, an international adoption doctor. When Ms. Russel expresses her concern to Dr. Mason regarding her fear that China could shut down for adoptions, Dr. Mason stated, “The number of orphans is just too great.”

After having traveled overseas to adopt my youngest son, I now see the world as Dr. Mason has. There are so many orphans worldwide needing homes and just not enough parents who are able to make the emotional and financial journey to do so. Believe me, when I held my new son in my arms and looked back at his orphanage and saw all of the children remaining, it brought tears to my eyes. All this press about China not having enough children to adopt is just insane in my opinion. Yes, China is changing their rules on adoption. Unfortunately, fewer families will qualify to adopt from China. However, with international adoption, most countries do have qualifications that, whether we agree with them or not, do exist.

The article also mentions that China will host the Olympics in 2008 and are allowing foreign journalists. Let’s all hope that the journalists get the opportunity to show the reality of these orphanages and that adoption from China increases.

I remember that shortly after adopting my youngest a friend who had previously traveled all over of the world said to me, “That kid (implying my son) really hit the lottery getting you guys as a family”. I have to admit at first I thought this was somewhat of an unusual comment (and that we were the lucky ones to adopt him), but this friend knew the reality of the orphan situation in the world. There are so many more children in need of homes than families who adopt. If you go to the UNICEF web site, you can see the orphan epidemic is tragic. If you are considering adoption, I pray that you take the leap of faith and give one more child a forever home.

(Note: You can find the article on NYTimes.com by entering "The Mystery of The Chinese Baby Shortage" in the search box. Unfortunately, it appears that you may have to register for the free 14 day trial of NYTimes Select to view the entire article.)

Sad Story of Treatment of Russian Orphans with Mouths Taped Shut

Adoption Friends,

I learned of a very sad story on the treatment of Russian children - possibly orphans - that I thought you should know.

According to a United Press International (UPI) story today, babies in a hospital in Yekaterinburg were photographed with their mouths taped shut (possibly with pacifier in them) by a woman with a cell phone camera. The woman went to investigate after she heard muffled cries. When she question a nurse in the ward, she was told to mind her own business. She reported it to the authorities and a criminal investigation is now underway.

According to the UPI story, "The unidentified woman doctor said her staff was overworked and underpaid and the practice of taping the babies' mouths shut saved a great deal of time by preventing pacifiers from being spit onto the floor." The story has caused understandable outrage in Russia.

I also saw this story briefly on CNN Headline News today, where they stated that the children in question were orphans and that in a separate incident I believe a three year old child was being given sedatives so the child would sleep through nap time. I have been unable to find this story posted on the CNN.com, and have sent an email to CNN asking if they were going to post it. If I receive a response I will let you know.

I found the most detailed account of this story on Pravda.ru which states, "There were conflicting reports as to whether the infants were all orphans" and includes one image apparently from the cell phone footage. I've also found the story on the Moscow Times web site as well as on MoscowNews.com.

How very sad in so many ways. No matter if the children were orphans or not. No matter if this is an isolated incident (as I pray) or something worse. As I adopted my youngest son from Russia, I felt terrible as I watched this story on CNN. And the feeling gets worse the more I think about it. I honestly wondered if I should make this post and what good it could do.

But it also made me think of these little children. What if they were orphans? Already in the hospital alone, abandoned by their birth parents. At the time they need to be loved and nurtured they experience this. And who knows what else. So it made me think that the truth is we don't really know what our children went through before they came into our arms. It made me think of how brave and strong that they are. Survivors.

And it make me think how much more important it is for us to be prepared to help them overcome whatever they've been through. Things we'll probably never know and they'll likely never be able to tell us. To be prepared to help them heal physically, emotionally (where the scars are hidden and harder to heal) - whatever - so that they can truly find love and comfort in our arms forever.

If we do then, perhaps, something good can come of this.