The adoption tax credit is a topic that is discussed very frequently on adoption forums, among adoptive parents and within adoption agencies. Unfortunately, most of those discussions are due to people’s confusion about the credit and it’s difficult to get straight answers about it unless you’re an accountant or have one who truly understands it. It can be extremely confusing because it is not a tax deduction, that most of us are familiar with. A tax credit works differently and can provide you with some reimbursement of your adoption expenses.

The adoption tax credit is a... more

Traditions help to form family bonds. They help children feel like they belong, like they’re part of something special that only belongs to their family. Adopted kids who may be feeling out of place or struggling with their own adoption story can find comfort in family traditions.

Starting when they first get home is great, but it’s never too late to start a new tradition. Older children can offer their own input, ideas and opinions on what is to become a new family tradition. Just make a strong effort to continue with the tradition even when life gets too busy and it’s... more

Over the weekend Ella said “adoption” or “adopted,” it’s hard to tell! Her vocabulary seems to grow by leaps and bounds daily and she’s become quite the little parrot (making all of us adults around her keenly aware of some of our not so nice verbal habits!) Now that she’s more verbal I’ve been trying to talk to her about adoption little by little. I’ll throw in a “when we were in Viet Nam to adopt you,” or “he was adopted just like you” here and there. We also have books about adoption and lately she’s been extremely interested in “Happy Adoption Day.”

I’ve blogged about this book before and she... more

One of the topics that is discussed often this time of year is how to adjust your holiday plans when you have just come home with your newly adopted child. Even my husband suggested I write a post about it since it’s likely to be on the minds of many people. See that picture on the right? I don’t know who that poor cutie is (I found it on Flickr,) but that’s what we’re trying to avoid ;)

Some people will travel cross country to Grandma’s, baby in tow, just like every other year and others will scale back almost completely and spend time at home. A great deal of what you decide... more

Earlier today I posted about the print and online adoption magazines that are available for us adoptive families. There are also some wonderful adoption newsletters out there that I have enjoyed reading. The first is written for Viet Nam adoptive families and the second and third cover international and transracial adoption, but not solely. Happy reading!

I love Chao Ban! It is a quarterly print newsletter devoted solely to adoptions from Viet Nam. The cultural information included is wonderful: recipes, activities and information about holidays and the... more

There are a handful of print magazines published just for adoptive families, but online options are also increasing in popularity. Two of the three listed below are free, and one charges a yearly subscription fee to read the digital version of their print magazine. The best thing about these online magazines is that you can put them in your favorites or save the email message that it comes in and read whenever you have the time. They’re a great way to stay connected and up to date with the adoption community.

Adoption.com (of which adoptionblogs.com... more

I absolutely love my “Adoptive Families” magazineo spread the word about them and sing their praises. Ella’s grandma gifted us a subscription about a year ago and I have loved every single episode. As the title states, this magazine is all about adoption and adoptive families. They cover all kinds of adoption and stay on top of current events in the adoption world. There are also regular parenting adopted kids features that I have found very helpful. I don’t often have time to read a book all the way through, so... more

With many people having an extended break from school and work this upcoming week, I thought I would write about some upcoming television shows that deal with adoption. If you have some free time or need an excuse to sit down and relax for a little bit, check out these programs:

I hadn’t heard of CBS’ “A Home for the Holidays” television special until I read about it in Erin’s Transracial Adoption blog a few weeks ago. I made a note to myself to try and catch it, but forgot... more

This isn’t our first Christmas as a family, nor is it Ella’s. This year marks her second Christmas, but it is full of so many holiday firsts. There are so many parts of the holiday and season that she is experiencing for the first time as an active participant and it’s amazing to watch her experience it all. Last year she was eight months old, had recently met her new parents and had only been in her new home and country for a month and a half. This year, she’s queen of the world and loving every second of it. She truly relishes every new sight, sound and taste and we’re on the... more

This time of year has brought about a lot of reflection for me. Last year we were in a complete new baby daze after coming home with Ella and a lot of it is a blur. This year we are in the process of our second adoption and I’ve been thinking about Ella’s birth parents and the parents of our soon to be child. There is a woman in Viet Nam who right now is carrying the child who will become a member of our family. Does she already know that she will not raise this child, or will it be a last minute kind of decision? Why is she unable to raise her child and does she wish that she... more