Bonding with your children can be a guessing game. All children are different, whether biological or adopted. For those who have backgrounds that may be a mystery to us, bonding can be especially difficult. The advice here is to “read” your child . . . recognize opportunities, small and large, for touch bonding. It’s important to forget about your own needs and to focus on what and when your child needs physical love. Other advice from our panel includes giving your adopted children the degree of attention you would give to an infant. This applies even if the child you bring home is a teenager. Attention means eventual bonding. It may be exhausting, but is worth the time you put into attention-oriented parenting as you work to bond with your child.
