The Park Blog
November 15, 2024
Middle school is a critical time for an adolescent’s development, both physically and mentally. During these years, peer influence becomes much more significant, and the desire for peer acceptance often outweighs parental guidance. This is also when many adoptees begin to experience the painful realities of bullying, racism, and microaggressions, all of which can have a profound impact on their sense of self and how they navigate the world. As schools start teaching sex education, which introduces lessons on reproduction, human anatomy, and relationships, adoptees may also begin to grapple with deeper questions about their own identity. These formative years bring a mix of challenges and growth, as adolescents begin to make sense of who they are, where they come from, and how they fit into the complex web of family, culture, and society.Â
November 13, 2024
Ages six to ten are a critical period in an adoptee’s life, as they begin to develop a deeper understanding of their identity. For transracial adoptees, starting school introduces unique challenges, particularly as they navigate predominantly White peer groups. At this stage, the child’s world expands beyond the household, and their parents are no longer the sole influence on their sense of self. They are now shaped by a combination of parental guidance, peer interactions at school, and their own growing experiences.Â
November 8, 2024
The first five years of life are crucial for shaping the foundation of identity development in adoptees. During this time, a child’s understanding of themselves is primarily influenced by their parents, as they have not yet entered school. The experiences parents encourage play a significant role in how adoptees begin to view themselves and their place in the world. At this age, children may not fully understand the complexities of their adoption but can absorb the experiences and messages their parents provide. Whether or not adoption is openly discussed, parental influence can have a lasting impact on how adoptees begin to form their identity. Â
November 5, 2024
An adoptee’s identity development is a lifelong, complex journey of self-discovery filled with countless questions and layers of intricacy. Unlike biological children, adoptees often begin with a blank slate, with little to no information about their family history, personal origins, and cultural heritage. This is only amplified if the adoptee was adopted internationally, with a separation between them and their birth culture. This blank slate, combined with the potential trauma of early separation and the multifaceted realities of adoption, can leave adoptees navigating a unique set of challenges as they grow. Â
November 3, 2022
Adoption is not the most important fact about me, but it has been one of the most impactful aspects of my identity journey.Â
I was adopted from Zhejiang Province, China at 18 months old by my amazing family – my mom, older brother, two older sisters, and little sister – in New Mexico!
December 10, 2021
Fall 2020: If you had asked me about how I felt about adoption, I would have said that I was all good — that I felt pretty solid in my identity. Fast forward to Spring 2021, the Stop Asian Hate movement was quickly sweeping across the US and Canada. I felt so detached and ungrounded, with no one else to share these feelings with. It was shortly after this that I was sent the application to apply for The Park as a Digital Marketing Intern.
May 17, 2021
Food can be an amazing way to explore and connect with birth culture. Have you tried cooking any dishes from your birth country cuisine?
May 17, 2021
“It takes courage to grow and become who you really are.” – E.E. Cummings
April 22, 2021
“Looking towards the positive is an act of bravery. Dare to hope. Dare to believe in good.”
