13 July 2018, by We Are Family (655 views)

Bounce Back Blog: Moments of Wonder.

Here are a few of the moments of wonder that adoption has brought to my life...

01 June 2018, by We Are Family (464 views)

Bounce Back Blog: Equally Best

...." The notion that the father trumped everything simply because of ‘blood’ made me feel vulnerable and I confess fleetingly made me consider if my new role as a father could ever be quite as significant without that blood tie...

25 May 2018, by We Are Family (495 views)

Coping Mechanisms.

So for those of us attempting to support our children who come with a range of trauma and problematic starts in life; we spend a considerable amount of time observing - thinking about and trying to work with their coping mechanisms...

11 May 2018, by We Are Family (465 views)

Terminology that comes easy

I admit that I am an older mum, but my brain hasn't gone to mush. I am not stupid, in fact I am quite clever - so why does the playground expectation and language floor me every time?

27 April 2018, by We Are Family (545 views)

Growing up.

I left my nearly 10 year old daughter at home, on her own, for the first time last week.

I knew she was tired and that a 10 minute walk to collect her sister from a local playdate would be met with moaning and groaning, so I gave her the option of staying at home whilst I popped out...

13 April 2018, by We Are Family (94 views)

Parenting is hard work.

I underestimated how hard parenting is.

I love my child dearly and parenting him has turned out to be both more wonderful and more rewarding than I could have ever imagined but also much much harder than I ever thought.

It's hard, testing work and it's difficult to navigate.

06 April 2018, by We Are Family (79 views)

Change.

We sense a change.

A small change, but a real change and - fingers crossed - a fundamental change. Although of course we could be wrong - we certainly have been before....

We think we are seeing signs that our younger son's anger and the screaming and shouting that are a consequence of that anger are being controlled. They are still there, still part of our lives, but it's somehow feeling different. There now seems to be a desire from him that was clearly not there before, a desire to bring our 'battles' to an end. It's clearly a struggle, but a struggle that maybe he is winning. Slowly, gradually he seems to be taking control.

09 March 2018, by We Are Family (378 views)

What Positives Adoption Has Brought To Our Lives.

Of course there are negatives - unexpected worries, stresses and difficulties that we have to deal with everyday, but this blog is just about the positives - which thankfully dominate our lives and put the negatives into perspectives.

What Positives Adoption Has Brought To Our Lives.

16 February 2018, by We Are Family (566 views)

Gold Tooth.

A greasy winter’s day a couple of years ago I was walking down the street, as you do, pushing a newly arrived Jack in his buggy and my goddaughter by my side. My little brand new family and hers were heading off for some half term shenanigans.

02 February 2018, by We Are Family (73 views)

Dear Grandparents.

Being the birth mum it seems that people simply put all the blame on your daughter, even the birth dad gets overlooked by most - regardless of the obvious fact that he failed our sons just as much as a parent.