http://russia.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/russia-news-for-the-week-of-jan-28 Russia adoption news, information and firsthand accounts by those who have been there. Sat, 20 Feb 2010 03:37:43 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://russia.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/russia-news-for-the-week-of-jan-28/comment-page-1#comment-589 120253 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 03:44:40 +0000 http://russia-adopt.www.adoptionblogs.com/2008/02/02/russia-news-for-the-week-of-jan-28#comment-589 We adopted a 6-year old from Russia in 1998. She is doing wonderful: She is beautiful, smart and very social with friends. However, she does harbor anger toward her birth parents for abandoning her in a hospital at age two. In reality this was a blessing. They could not afford to raise her, and they loved her enough to leave her into the safekeeping of health care professionals. We went to Russia to pick her up. From the beginning, we have had issues about control. Kids who grow up in an orphanage want complete control over their lives. Now as a 16-years old this is not possible. She has anger issues when we control her actions. We sought and continued counseling for her and our family (husband and two biological children) from Day #1. This is critical. We also had her evaluated for RADD by psychiatrists. She has recently been put on a medication to help control her anger so counseling is more effective. She is doing great. She is a model student at a private girls' school with a 3.5 average. The orphanage has made her determined and focused on doing well in school. Her older sister has been outstanding in coaching her regarding teenage boys: Believe their actions, not words. If I can give any advice it would be to seek reputable counselors who focus on international adoptees and to provide love regardless of behavior. They will test you to see if your love will withstand them when they disobey or act out. I can't imagine life without our daughter. It is worth saving a child from the street. That is where she would be today without a successful adoption. You are doing very good things when you adopt a child who would not have parents. She is my best accomplishment in life despite a successful corporate career. We adopted a 6-year old from Russia in 1998. She is doing wonderful: She is beautiful, smart and very social with friends. However, she does harbor anger toward her birth parents for abandoning her in a hospital at age two. In reality this was a blessing. They could not afford to raise her, and they loved her enough to leave her into the safekeeping of health care professionals. We went to Russia to pick her up. From the beginning, we have had issues about control. Kids who grow up in an orphanage want complete control over their lives. Now as a 16-years old this is not possible. She has anger issues when we control her actions. We sought and continued counseling for her and our family (husband and two biological children) from Day #1. This is critical. We also had her evaluated for RADD by psychiatrists. She has recently been put on a medication to help control her anger so counseling is more effective. She is doing great. She is a model student at a private girls’ school with a 3.5 average. The orphanage has made her determined and focused on doing well in school. Her older sister has been outstanding in coaching her regarding teenage boys: Believe their actions, not words. If I can give any advice it would be to seek reputable counselors who focus on international adoptees and to provide love regardless of behavior. They will test you to see if your love will withstand them when they disobey or act out. I can’t imagine life without our daughter. It is worth saving a child from the street. That is where she would be today without a successful adoption. You are doing very good things when you adopt a child who would not have parents. She is my best accomplishment in life despite a successful corporate career.

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