This is the Day!

The day has finally come! You have picked up your child, they are legally yours and you are on your way home; on your way to becoing a fmaily. Here are some things you can expect the first few days and some things you may want to look out for:- You will likely have throngs of friends and fmaily that are just as excited as you are about your new arriva. However, having a crowd of people at the airport to welcome you or a huge party waiting at your house with people waiting to jump out and yell "welcome home!" will be both extremely intimidating and frightening for your new child. Keep things things in mind and try to keep at least the homecoming itself low key.- Most babies and toddlers will resist being strapped into a carseat fror that dirve home. Make sure to have sooothing music, snacks and toys on hand to distract and extertain during this frightening time for them.

- After your child has had the opportunity to explore their new home, it is time for you to experience your first bedtime routine. This is a great opportunity to establish consistency, which will make them feel safe and secure in their new home. Children coming from an orphanage setting are used to sleeping with excessive noise, activity and light. Your child may feel more secure with some music and a nightlight in a room with other people. Many of these children are terrified of isolation and, no matter how fantastic their new room is, may feel very frightened and helpless if left there in the dark all by themselves.

- Bedwetting may be a problem, no matter the age of your adopted child. To lessen the bedwetting and ease your child's stress during the transition, consider the following steps: (1) Cut off liquids 1 hour before bedtime (2) Make them go to the bathroom directly before bed (3)Make sure they know where the bathroom is, how to turn the light on, how to flush the toilet, where the extra toilet paper is and anything else they should know to make them comfortable. (3) Leave the light on in the bathroom or put a nightlight on. This will encourage those who are afraid of the dark or afraid of their unfamiliar surroundings to go.(4)You may want to have your child sleep iin pull-ups for the first few nights to save you time and energy on laundry.

- Meals for your child may be a difficult time for both of you. Some children want nothing to do with the food of their country once they are home with you. Some children may have a difficult time with the new flavors and textures. Many parents find that taking their child to a buffet style restaurant can go a long way in establishing what their child does and does not like. Browse our orphanage menu to see what your child has been eating and take these things into consideration during your mealtime prep.

- Children at the orphanage do not snack throughout the day. However, experts suggest putting a bowl of snacks such as fruit, popcorn and pretzels onto the table and letting your child know that it is for them. This will decrease their fear of the lack of food provision and will decrease their urge to gorge themselves at meal time.

- Use mealtimes to teach your new child about proper portion control and watch for gorging. Your child may have a tendancy to overeat to the point of making themselves sick. Speak to a professional if this becomes a problem.

- Haitians are not used to eating sweet things in the morning. They typically have a clear broth, such as chicken broth, for breakfast as they believe it will keep them from stomach ailments all day. Lunchtime is the big meal in Haiti and dinner is often very light, consisting of a yogurt like custard. Haitians believe that if you go to bed on a full stomach, you will be sick all night long.

- For the fisrt few days, it's a good idea to keep your activities low key. Trips out to the grocery store, shopping mall, park and friend's houses are great ways to introduce your child to their new culture. Trips to Disney World (or other comparable theme parks) straight off the airplane are probably NOT the best idea.

- About a week after your child has been home, now is the time to go see the doctor. Hopefully you have researched, interviewed and picked out a pediatrician. Remember snacks, toys and comfort objects for this new and strange ordeal.

That's about it! You are now the proud parent of an adopted child. You are a blended family with many new challenges and joys before you. Enjoy your child. Enjoy these first days and weeks. Should issues arise and you find yourself reeling, consult your social worker or adoption liason. Don't be afraid to ask for help. And most importantly, don't be afraid to love on your children as though they've never felt LOVE!