Families with Children from China

Here's a story from Lake Mary Life (May/June 2009) magazine featuring Families with Children from China Central Florida:

We are family - Support group helps adoptive parents and their children from China
by Peter Reilly

The row of giggling girls atop the playground balance beam had no fear of falling – they had each other to hold onto. Suddenly, a tiny tot started to teeter, pulling the others with her. They shrieked with glee as they tumbled to the padded ground a few inches below. It was as if they had been knocked over by a wave of laughter. Their adoptive parents watching from nearby benches smiled as the girls in their brightly colored outfits dusted themselves off and helped each other climb back up again. The scene was one of many sweet moments at a recent picnic organized by Families with Children from China – Central Florida (FCC-CF), but it was the one that most clearly illustrates what the organization is all about. FCC-CF gives adoptive parents and their Asian-born daughters a network of supportive friends and a sense of family that’s rooted in fun, culture, and each other. The process of adopting a child from China is a long and difficult one. The wait can be several years for a girl. Boys rarely come up for adoption. There are mountains of paperwork to fill out and then thousands of miles to travel. FCC-CF’s members, who’ve been there and done that, aid parents beginning the process by answering their questions, lending support, and helping them prepare for their trip. George and Ann Carlson of Oviedo got help from the group before they went to China to get their daughter Katelyn, now eight. “We went to one of the meetings,” she says. “It was nice to know it was there and we got helpful tips from parents who had been through the process: like what to pack, what not to bring. There was a lot of paperwork. It can take three or four years. It took 18 months for Katelyn, but it’s worth it. Everything we went through, it’s all worth it. It’s the best thing we could ever do. Having a family is so worthwhile.”The Carlsons were so thrilled, they adopted their second daughter, Megan, now six, soon after.When adoptive parents return home to Florida with their new daughter, their joy is mixed with a sense of responsibility. They don’t want their child to feel uprooted and alone. They want to raise their daughter as an American, while preserving the rich cultural heritage of her Chinese ancestors.FCC-CF’s members accomplish this by holding monthly picnics and get-togethers where their daughters can play with other girls from China. “I think the organization is important because it gives us a chance to be around families like ours,” says Ann. “As the girls grow up, it’s important for them to be around kids their own age. I also wanted them to be comfortable so they wouldn’t feel different in our society. This group gives them that chance.”It’s as if each of the girls in the group has two American families – their adoptive family and their FCC-CF family. Ann’s daughters look forward to the group’s gatherings. “They love it,” says Ann. “They’re always asking, ‘When do we get to see our Chinese family again?’”The group makes a real effort to celebrate Chinese culture on Chinese holidays. Many of the group’s 75 families rang in the Chinese New Year at a fabulous party and buffet dinner held at Metro Church in Winter Springs. The girls also learn about Chinese culture through a fun program called Panda Pals, taught by member Kim Edney. “My girls love it,” says Ann. “Kim taught them how to write numbers in Chinese. For the Moon Festival they learned how to make lanterns. They made a Chinese scroll with cherry blossoms and a red box that each girl signed. For New Year’s, since it is the year of the Ox, they each made an ox out of their handprint.”Kim holds many of the classes at her home in Chuluota. She and her husband Rick have two daughters Alexa, eight and Megan, six. Rick is currently serving in Iraq, and was recently home for a visit. “It’s a play network, but it also gives the kids a feeling of belonging,” explains Kim. “It gives them a sense of identity especially once we started doing the Panda Pals and exploring different aspects of Chinese culture and what makes the girls unique.”While most families adopt from China, the group is open to children from other Asian countries. “We’re very inclusive,” says Kim. “We have kids from China, Cambodia, and Korea. We have support for people who are new to international adoption. We have people to answer questions. We have a Yahoo Group used to exchange ideas. We share information on pediatricians and dentists.”Forest Eastwood’s daughter Josie, ten, was born in Cambodia. Forest, a Winter Springs resident who adopted Josie after her birth children were grown, has found FCC-CF very beneficial. “This group is a very valuable part of our lives,” says Forest. “The cultural identity it provides is very important to us. Cambodia is not that far from China. We’re new to the group, but Josie’s already made some friends.”For more information about the group, visit their Web site at www.fcccf.org.
http://www.lakemarylifemagazine.com/viewArticle.php?articleId=2031