A friend and fellow adoptive mom posted this Statement by Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director, on the Proposed Russian Adoption Ban to a Guatemalan adoption listserve:
NEW YORK (December 26, 2012) – “While welcoming Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev’s call for the improvement of the child welfare system, UNICEF urges that the current plight of the many Russian children in institutions receives priority attention.
“We ask that the Government of Russia, in its design and development of all efforts to protect children, let the best interests of children – and only their best interests – determine its actions.
“We encourage the government to establish a robust national social protection plan to help strengthen Russian families. Alternatives to the institutionalization of children are essential, including permanent foster care, domestic adoption and inter-country adoption.
“All children deserve an environment that promotes their protection and well-being. Russian children – indeed all children – need to be in protective and loving families or family-like environments.”
ShareThisTags: Guatemala 900, Unicef and Guatemala, Unicef and Guatemalan adoption, unicef and intercountry adoption
Hello Jessica…I am a fellow adoption Mom with a beautiful little girl from Guatemala. She is 7, came home at 2 on October 19, 2007. Just two shorts months before adoptions in Guatemala stopped. I am so engrossed in your book…it is like living my life with our adoption of Caylie all over again. Can I ask you at what age you took Olivia back to Guat for the first time? We are debating what a good age is. BTW, in the book you just got your hair cut off after she bleached it blonde! Gave me such a giggle!
Kelly
Hi Kelly: Thanks for writing. So happy your Beautiful Caylie came home in October 2007! Especially because, as we both know, many children and families remain stuck. Every day, we count our blessings.
Thank you for reading my book. Knowing our story resonates for others feels great. I appreciate your telling me. And yes, my hair. Yikes…
Whenever people ask me about visiting Guatemala with children, the first thing I say is that every child is different. You know your child best. What works for our family may not work for other families; what was best for our kids may not be best for every kid.
That said: Olivia returned the first time when she was around 3, but that was only to pick up her brother, Mateo. Her first big visit was at age 7, which you will read about in Mamalita, if you haven’t gotten there yet.
Some psychologists recommend visiting before puberty hits, when many identity issues kick in and a child faces the big “Who am I and where do I fit in?” question. Others advise against visiting before age 18, when a child makes his or her own decision about going.
For us, visiting early made sense. Guatemala now feels like a familiar part of our lives. Our children love going to Guatemala. We visit the country annually; this year, we will visit twice.
My biggest piece of advice is, If you do go, make it fun. Especially the first trip. Many families join up with Heritage Trips so their kids can spend time and play or hang out with other kids, and experience Guatemala together. (Nancy Hoffman is the expert on this; her website is http://www.guatemalareservations.com.)
Also: a first trip doesn’t necessarily need to be about connecting with birth or foster family, although it certainly can be that. A first trip is to discover the beauty and complexity of Guatemala–lovely Antigua, glorious Lake Atitlan, the culture and history of your children’s birth country.
Hope this helps. Good luck with whatever you decide! ~