Honoring an Adopted Child's Culture

Mom Topics - Adoption and Foster Children

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After months or years waiting for your internationally adopted child to come home, it can be easy to slip into the normal routines of everyday life. Work, daycare, and other family commitments can keep the schedule busy enough, without adding cultural activities. However, it is important to honor your adopted child's country - perhaps not on a daily basis, but definitely as a natural part of family celebrations.

Honoring an Adopted Child's Culture Through Home Decor and Play Items

Having a visual reminder of a child's birth country can provide an important connection for a child who looks different from other family members. Place a few souvenirs from the adoption travel trip in visible spots around the house. Hang a picture or two of the child's birth country in their bedroom or the family room. If you did not travel to your child's birth country, there are many websites that sell items from countries around the world.

Does your child have a doll that looks like him or her? This article provides resources for age appropriate ethnic dolls. It's also okay to think beyond the obvious - if your child's birth country has a strong musical tradition, do you have cds of the country's music? Does your child have musical instruments that he or she can use to echo the music they hear?

Honoring an Adopted Child's Culture Through Cultural Activities

Attending cultural activities exposes your child to his birth country's traditions, history, music, dress, food, and more. As important is the opportunity to be around children who look like your child, and perhaps find other families who look like your family. Ask local churches if they hold festivals or church services for particular holidays - our local Korean church holds several events throughout the year. Is there an Asian Association in your region? Does a local adoption agency provide heritage camps? Is there an ethnic restaurant in the area that serves dishes from your child's birth country?

Honoring an Adopted Child's Culture Through Family Celebrations

Many adoptive families recognize and celebrate their child's "Gotcha Day" or adoption day. However, that is a celebration of a child becoming a part of a particular family - not a celebration of the child's country of birth. Are there holidays in your child's country of birth that can be celebrated in your home? For instance, we recognize Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. We acknowledge the importance of Tet in our daughter's birth country by eating Vietnamese food, reading books about Tet, and talking about why the holiday is celebrated in Vietnam.

Festivals Together: A Guide to Multi-Cultural Celebration (Lifeways) is a book that talks about a variety of cultural celebrations at a level that a young child can understand, while providing activities and stories to help parents celebrate the holiday.

Kids Around the World Cook!: The Best Foods and Recipes from Many Lands offers food from 22 countries, giving families an opportunity to cook dishes that are common in a child's birth country.

Dianna is the mother of three girls, one of whom joined the family through international adoption. She blogs about adoption, life, and the joys of motherhood at Mama In Pajamas.

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michelleharwellmft (Author) 2009-08-21 11:14:29 Great article! I particularly think food can be a great way to connect our little ones to their culture. I suggest youtube.com as a great place to look up how to make specifically cultural recipes. This is one we have used to make Vietnamese spring rolls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw-7pYq7wSc Michel le Harwell www.michelleharwellmft.com

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