Reflections

This morning I am in a reflective mood as I have just spent 48 hours travelling with 3 work colleagues, one is a grandfather, the other a new father and the third who seems to have no interest in children at the present. They spent a fair bit of time sharing stories and photographs and over all it made me feel very sad. It is wonderful that people find so much joy in the children in their lives but it doesn't take away the sadness that I feel because I don't have that.

I had also made the choice to take on of the books from the reading list social services provided for me as preparation for the preparation course - a book called 'Real Parents, Real Children: Parenting the adopted child'. It was a difficult read, more of a text book which made it difficult going at times but it did leave me feeling very positive. I had accepted that an child we adopted might come with problems and issues that we will need to work through but reading this book showed me that these problems are experienced by all parents whether adoptive or birth and the difference is the triggers. There are still a few issues that are specifically attributed to adopted children but this book provided tools to manage these issues as well as thoughts and reasoning behind them. I would recommend anyone looking for reading material on adoption persevere with this book as it is worth it.

Today I also re-start on a reading buddy scheme that I participate in with a local school. I take an hour away from work, in my lunch break, to attend a local school and read with 3 children each for 20 minutes. This will be the third school year that I have participated and I am really looking forward to finding out which class I will be sent to - so far I have been with 4-5 year olds and 8-9 year olds. It does highlight for me, working with lots of children from the class, the difference from those who are read to and with at home and those that are not. It makes me sad that parents can't find the time or energy to spend that time with their children as it can make such a massive difference to the child's abilities.

I have to confess though, a business trip abroad lasting less than 48 hours is incredibly tiring and the one thing I am looking forward to more than anything else is going home and getting some sleep.