Last night NBC's "Parenthood" storyline had the troubled (not his fault) adopted child call 911 to make false allegations of abuse against his adoptive parents.
Knowing how this plays out in real life for our family... and other adoptive families... TV made it neat and clean and wrapped it up nicely before the hour was up...
Regardless... I'm grateful the topic is covered.
As I've been pondering today how to address last night's show on my blog... what to write, how to say it, a few things popped into my mind about TV adoption storylines...
They don't really address the "honeymoon period" of a newly placed child...
but I get it... tv is not real life... it can't possibly capture and accurately portray in an hour what takes a lifetime to live. I'm still so grateful the topic is covered.
I also pondered that you don't often see "ongoing" adoption "issues" in media portrayals of adoption. I wonder if that is partially our fault as adoptive parents... yes, adoption REALLY makes kids REALLY a part of our families. YES, adoption makes our family REALLY OUR FAMILY.
But I'm finding... there ARE "adoption issues" ... lifelong it seems... adoption issues. It makes sense to talk about it, write about it, inform people about it. The subject seems to be quite taboo.
Today I wonder if we, adoptive parents, who keep on insisting that adoption is natural, and good, and a REAL way to build a family stifles the "political correctness" of addressing the reality of REAL LIFE-LONG "adoption issues."
I do believe that adoption is natural, and good, and a real way to build a family... but there ARE adoption issues... life long adoption issues... and perhaps once upon a time I was offended that anyone might infer there are differences in the experience of families that have children born into it and families that have children adopted into it.
I can't help but wonder if our "taboo" mentality figures "Maybe if we keep on insisting that pointing out, noticing, discussing common life-long issues regarding adoption is offensive 'the issues' will go away ?"
Meanwhile... today... however inaccurate, or slightly skewed from our reality... I'm so very grateful that adoption issues are better addressed in entertainment media today than the adoption stories of yester-year where after the child finds the family they need to love them they all live "happily ever after".
I'm grateful the ability to talk about "adoption issues" is taking bolder and bolder steps out of the shame-filled shadows of not being politically correct.
I feel the need to mention, I am still hoping for our family's adoption "happily ever after."
Knowing how this plays out in real life for our family... and other adoptive families... TV made it neat and clean and wrapped it up nicely before the hour was up...
Regardless... I'm grateful the topic is covered.
As I've been pondering today how to address last night's show on my blog... what to write, how to say it, a few things popped into my mind about TV adoption storylines...
They don't really address the "honeymoon period" of a newly placed child...
but I get it... tv is not real life... it can't possibly capture and accurately portray in an hour what takes a lifetime to live. I'm still so grateful the topic is covered.
I also pondered that you don't often see "ongoing" adoption "issues" in media portrayals of adoption. I wonder if that is partially our fault as adoptive parents... yes, adoption REALLY makes kids REALLY a part of our families. YES, adoption makes our family REALLY OUR FAMILY.
But I'm finding... there ARE "adoption issues" ... lifelong it seems... adoption issues. It makes sense to talk about it, write about it, inform people about it. The subject seems to be quite taboo.
Today I wonder if we, adoptive parents, who keep on insisting that adoption is natural, and good, and a REAL way to build a family stifles the "political correctness" of addressing the reality of REAL LIFE-LONG "adoption issues."
I do believe that adoption is natural, and good, and a real way to build a family... but there ARE adoption issues... life long adoption issues... and perhaps once upon a time I was offended that anyone might infer there are differences in the experience of families that have children born into it and families that have children adopted into it.
I can't help but wonder if our "taboo" mentality figures "Maybe if we keep on insisting that pointing out, noticing, discussing common life-long issues regarding adoption is offensive 'the issues' will go away ?"
Meanwhile... today... however inaccurate, or slightly skewed from our reality... I'm so very grateful that adoption issues are better addressed in entertainment media today than the adoption stories of yester-year where after the child finds the family they need to love them they all live "happily ever after".
I'm grateful the ability to talk about "adoption issues" is taking bolder and bolder steps out of the shame-filled shadows of not being politically correct.
I feel the need to mention, I am still hoping for our family's adoption "happily ever after."
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