ITHACA, NY – Adopted kids will connect with peers over a weekend in the wilderness while parents get a respite and learn new parenting skills through Adoption Connection workshops. Adoption Connection is a one-of-a-kind approach to address the many unique challenges faced by adoptive families.
“Adoptive families often have nowhere to turn to help address their specific concerns,” says Susan Rausch, founder of Adoption Connection and the parent of seven adopted children. “Adoption Connection offers a safe and nurturing place for children to explore their feelings and thoughts, while having fun in a beautiful, natural setting. Through our workshops we help parents deal with some of their most difficult challenges and increase their joy in the parenting process,” says Rausch, who has 25 years of experience in human services, children's camps, after-school programs, as a youth advocate and anti-bias trainer.
For many Adoption Connection provides a first time opportunity to meet other adopted children. The weekend includes individual and group projects such as animal tracking, fire building, nature crafts, and outdoor cooking for children ages 6 to 14. In the evenings, children enjoy a campfire while a trained facilitator leads a fun and interactive workshop, which allows children to talk openly with each other about being adopted.
Adoption Connection is designed to give adoptive parents a weekend respite from parenting as well as to help them learn new parenting approaches to address their unique challenges. Two workshops are available to parents. In Pro-Active Parenting of Adopted Children, parents learn behavior management techniques from facilitators who are raising their own adopted children and work in the professional field with adopted children. The second workshop, Parenting Adopted Children with Challenging Behaviors, focuses on moderate or severe antisocial behavior often seen in adopted children. Primary parents are almost always keenly aware of such behaviors, while other significant adults in the child’s life, including the co-parent, teachers and even therapists may be dismissive. This workshop provides effective techniques to help parents address these behaviors and how to find further resources for managing these challenges.
“Parenting an adopted child is, for many, the most important thing they will do in their life, while also being one of the most challenging aspects of life. We have found that even during those challenging moments, parents can use techniques and skills to help maintain patience and calmness,” says Rausch.
Dates and Cost
Adoption Connection will be held from Friday, July 30 through Sunday, August 1, 2010. Attendees should arrive by 5pm on Friday evening. The cost is $200 per child and includes daily snacks and meals including Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner, and Sunday breakfast. The Proactive Parenting of Adopted Children workshop will be held Friday evening from 5:30 - 7:30pm and Parenting Adopted Children with Challenging Behaviors will be on Sunday morning from 9 to 11am. The cost is $25 per workshop if the child is registered for Adoption Connection Camp and $50 per workshop if the child is not registered.
