Advertisements
I've been browsing the transracial adoption threads, and would like to offer a few suggestions. First, I'd like to thank each of you for making the decision to adopt...especially transracially. It will at times be a confusing journey, but nonetheless a wonderful one. The most frequent questions I've encountered from parents have been on the topic of cultural identity development. There are many things that you can do to help your child in their development from a very early age. It starts with helping them to achieve a healthy overall self-concept. Although they may not understand the concept of race just yet, from the age of 2, they will notice that there is a difference in their physical features from the rest of the family. They need to see other images around them (maybe in the form of books, toys, dolls, etc.) that represent their own race, so that those differences don't become a taboo issue for them as they grow older. Many parents find that seeking out other important people in the child's life (such as doctors, teachers, and mentors) who are of the child's own race is helpful as well.
Some of the more practical issues that I've seen in the forum focus on things like hair care and fashion. If it eases your minds a bit, as an African-American woman of 30+ years, I still haven't perfected the art of braiding. :)
Thankfully, there are professionals that can handle this for you. Angelina figured this out just recently. :D Don't be discouraged if you don't have all the answers. You're not expected to be anything but a loving parent...and that doesn't take a PhD in cultural identity!
Like
Share