August 27, 2015
8 Tips to Support Your Child's Homework Experience
Children who have a history of trauma often struggle academically and the start of a new school year can trigger anxiety. One of the ways that you can support them is by making their after-school time as positive and stress free as possible. Read More
July 27, 2015
Family From the Start
Even when things don’t go exactly as planned, a Barker family shows the power of a forever family “We are her family.” Read More
July 16, 2015
Our Journey to Jianfeng
Our journey to Jianfeng would never have been possible without the efforts of so many people and organizations. He has been loved, prayed for, and cared about by everyone who has heard his name. Jianfeng’s adoption is not our story alone. Read More
June 30, 2015
Infertility and Adoption
Little girls often engage in the common childhood pastime of pretending to be pregnant, but it would be a rare individual indeed who would ever dress-rehearse infertility as a future problem. Unless individuals have pre-existing medical problems, they assume they will easily conceive a child. Read More
June 30, 2015
Speaking Positively: Using Respectful Adoption Language
Respectful Adoption Language (RAL) is vocabulary about adoption that has been chosen to reflect maximum respect, responsibility and objectivity about the decisions made by birth parents and adoptive parents in discussing the family planning decisions they have made for children who have been adopted. Read More
June 29, 2015
Criticize, Advise, or Keep Quiet? Responding to Negative Remarks about Adoption
Imagine you’re in a room full of people, having a good time—until someone makes a troubling comment about adoption. Even though the rest of the party keeps going, for you everything stops. It’s as if the projectionist just switched off the film, brought up the house lights, and asked you what you’re going to do next. Will you smile tolerantly? Will you seize this teachable moment? How will people feel about you—and, more importantly, how will you feel about yourself—after everything is over? Read More
June 29, 2015
Our Return to Korea
Our son experienced his first return to his homeland as an adoptee, a violinist, a diplomat, and a 9-year-old. Read More
June 26, 2015
A Warm, Safe, Place to Sleep
Thanks to the support of the Barker community, 30 infants and toddlers in GuangXi Province, China, no longer have to sleep on mats the floor. Read More
June 10, 2015
One Social Worker's View of the Homestudy
As an adoptive parent who has lived through a home study and as a social worker that has conducted them, I am delighted to share some of my thoughts about the home study process. I am convinced that it is one of the most misunderstood aspects of adoption. Surrounded by myths and horror stories, it is too often viewed by prospective adoptive parents as a tortuous ordeal perpetrated by social workers. Read More
February 25, 2015
From Foster Care To Freshman Year
This story, From Foster Care to Freshman Year, was covered by NPR in early January. Read More
January 27, 2015
Family's holiday card goes viral for all the right reasons
Link: Family's holiday card goes viral for all the right reasons Read More
December 3, 2014
‘I’ve always wanted a place to call home’
Link: ‘I’ve always wanted a place to call home’ Read More