There is much debate over nature vs. nurture with our kids. Several of our bloggers have tackled this issue. Nancy has addressed it as have Cindy and Michelle, when she was writing this blog.

My classic perplexing story has to do with Sammy and his birthmom.

In Wisconsin, we have a ... more

A young man, (aged 11), is forced to set up his own abuse stage under his mothers watchful eye. He then watched as his mother tortured his two young brothers who died later that same week from their injuries.

A horrific story. I can’t even read the details as I’m too squeamish.

I did scroll down the article though to find the happy ending, and I’m glad this story has one.

He and his siblings went on to be adopted. His birth womb person ( I can’t bring myself to call her the M word) is in prison.

Jerry has given himself... more

If you've been following the case about Christian, the four year old who's been at the focus of a custody case for years, I'm happy to tell you, the battle is over.

The foster parents gave up fighting for rights to the child after the toddler went to bio-family. They'd been trying to regain custody for a couple of years now and it sounds from this bit below, that the toddler actually went back and forth between two homes for a while.

What nonsense.

I'm glad this is over for the child and all... more

My mother-in-law (MIL) is moving to be nearer to us.

My hubby, her only child, has gone to Dallas to help her pack and put her on the plane. She arrives this morning after giving up her home of thirty years.

I am leaving in a few hours to pick her up at the airport, and Hubby is driving the moving van back home. She won’t be living with us, but in an assisted living facility. Still, we will... more

Nature vs. Nurture seems to be in the news every week now. I’m reading about foster parents being given preference to adopt children, over bio-family. And on the flip I also hear a lot of buzz about children being taken from a foster family and given over to bio-family they may have never seen or met.

Experts are trying to find creative answers. Some Canadian courts have now forced visitations for bio-siblings (over the wishes of adoptive... more

"Sure, they fell in love with him, and I'm happy for that … (but) blood belongs with blood," said Dawn Kurtz of Grosse Ile. "I will lay my life on the line for him and so will Papa."

That is the grandmother of two year old Antonio talking. She has unsuccessfully fought for custody of her grandson, now being adopted by the foster parents.

In an unusual ruling, the high court has favored foster parents for adoption over birth family and sibling relationships. The grandparents have... more

Ok, we can all breathe a sigh of relief.

The high court in New Jersey will not be interfering in your life after you adopt. Well, at least they will not be forcing sibling visitation after adoption.

The New Jersey Supreme Court declined yesterday to decide whether siblings who are separated by adoption have a constitutional right to visit each other regardless of their parents' wishes.

However, this same court conceded yesterday that siblings do have a right to visit each other when separated by foster care:

The high... more

A while back ago I blogged about forced visitations with bio family after an adoption has been finalized. In that blog I asked if we should be forcing visitation against the parents wishes?...

Now I read that Ontario is trying a new program where the court is allowing - enforcing - visitations after adoption. The thinking here is that the adoption process will speed up and more children will find forever families quickly.

Sound wierd? Stay with me here.

Apparently three quarters of Canadian... more

Foster Adoption is in the news big time this week! See my previous post on the ABC NEWS blitz on foster care and foster adoption.

Now, this breaking news from New Jersey:

A judge will consider if the state should enforce visitations with a newly adopted three year old girl and her adopted elsewhere siblings.... more