I am glad to support Ottawa's LGBTQ family day celebration.
Here's the article in the Ottawa Citizen.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/story_print.html?id=4318471&sponsor=
20 February 2011
24 January 2011
New Year, Better Support
Our January meeting was truly comforting for me because two new families attended and I gained nuggets from their stories which gave me new insight on my parenting. I have long thought that the smartest people are those who actively seek and offer support in our community and this was reconfirmed by an amazing, smart and enjoyable group who were willing to share a caring ear and some much-needed laughter. Many of us face incredible challenges in parenting special needs adoptive children and it is a true pleasure to witness the strength and resourcefulness of fiercely loving parents.
With appreciation,
Celeste
12 December 2010
Looking forward to the December meeting!
I am really looking forward to our December meeting and learning from the wisdom around the table.
It's the time of the year where many families are a little more tired, overscheduled, or coughing their way through the holiday season. At our house, my lovely wife and daughter have created some kind of fire-signed Saggitarius secret society whereby they keep our home perpetually lit up with excitement, lights, and loud holiday toys which sing, bark or dance.
I enjoy all the fun too but I also struggle a bit this time of year as I think of Christmases shared with loved ones who have passed away and I probably try a little to hard to find both spiritual peace and a perfectly seasoned gluten free stuffing recipe.
And like many families created by adoption, we try to find the right balance between acknowledging our children's unique life paths and related issues and simply enjoying some quality time with our chosen family.
And I know it will all be just a bit easier after attending the GLBTQ post-adoption support group this week.
It's the time of the year where many families are a little more tired, overscheduled, or coughing their way through the holiday season. At our house, my lovely wife and daughter have created some kind of fire-signed Saggitarius secret society whereby they keep our home perpetually lit up with excitement, lights, and loud holiday toys which sing, bark or dance.
I enjoy all the fun too but I also struggle a bit this time of year as I think of Christmases shared with loved ones who have passed away and I probably try a little to hard to find both spiritual peace and a perfectly seasoned gluten free stuffing recipe.
And like many families created by adoption, we try to find the right balance between acknowledging our children's unique life paths and related issues and simply enjoying some quality time with our chosen family.
And I know it will all be just a bit easier after attending the GLBTQ post-adoption support group this week.
24 October 2010
Parent-led Support Group Continues
Since my partner and I adopted a three year old daughter in April 2009, I have been purposefully learning how to parent and an important part of that process has been to participate in this group.
Our first meeting of the year was held on Oct 20th with excellent support and homemade muffins. It was a delight to be in a room full of so much queer parenting wisdom, honesty, and compassion. I echo one of the participant's comment "this is just what I needed."
If you are a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans family and have recently gone through the life-altering process of adopting or if you did so a long time ago are now turning a new page in your evolution as a parent, please e-mail me about joining us.
With appreciation,
Celeste
Our first meeting of the year was held on Oct 20th with excellent support and homemade muffins. It was a delight to be in a room full of so much queer parenting wisdom, honesty, and compassion. I echo one of the participant's comment "this is just what I needed."
If you are a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans family and have recently gone through the life-altering process of adopting or if you did so a long time ago are now turning a new page in your evolution as a parent, please e-mail me about joining us.
With appreciation,
Celeste
21 January 2010
Welcome to a New Year
We're into a new year and our group continues to grow with adoptive and adoptive parents-to-be. If you'd like to be added to our mailing list, please let us know at lgbtqadoptionottawa [at] rogers [.] com .
Here's a list of topics for the remainder of the year. This are just general guidelines for discussion and we often digress and explore current issues happening in our households.
February: Attachment
The focus of this discussion will be on attachment in the adoptive family. What has helped build strong attachments with our children? We will allow discuss how each parent in an adoptive couple might experience attachment with their adoptive child(ren) to varying degrees, and vice versa in terms of the pace that children attach to their adoptive parents. In addition, we will consider difficult attachments and their impacts on adoptive parents.
March: Not-So-Closed Adoptions
The focus of this discussion will explore adoptions in which birth families are involved with our children – whether as part of a negotiated open or partially open adoption, because they have found our adoptive families or because we have reached out to them. How are these relationships negotiated? How do we decide whether our children are ready for this contact? What do we do if we aren’t ready?
April: Queering our Kids, Gender Binaries, and Parenting Parameters
The focus of this discussion will explore how adoptive couples negotiate different parenting styles within their relationships. We will also consider how gender roles come to be assigned, reinforced and challenged within our relationships. Lastly, our discussion will consider the impact of our family structure on adoptive children with no past experience of the LGBTQ community.
May: Open Forum
The topic of this meeting is being left open to allow for the inclusion of interests that emerge over the course of the year and demand a more committed timeframe for discussion.
June: Adoption Process and Post-Adoption Support
The focus of this discussion will be a discussion of the adoption options and process within the Ottawa community, as well as a discussion of the post-adoption support available to families. The discussion will be grounded in the experiences of participants and is intended as a forum in which parents-to-be can receive helpful hints, and ask questions in a safe, candid environment.
Here's a list of topics for the remainder of the year. This are just general guidelines for discussion and we often digress and explore current issues happening in our households.
February: Attachment
The focus of this discussion will be on attachment in the adoptive family. What has helped build strong attachments with our children? We will allow discuss how each parent in an adoptive couple might experience attachment with their adoptive child(ren) to varying degrees, and vice versa in terms of the pace that children attach to their adoptive parents. In addition, we will consider difficult attachments and their impacts on adoptive parents.
March: Not-So-Closed Adoptions
The focus of this discussion will explore adoptions in which birth families are involved with our children – whether as part of a negotiated open or partially open adoption, because they have found our adoptive families or because we have reached out to them. How are these relationships negotiated? How do we decide whether our children are ready for this contact? What do we do if we aren’t ready?
April: Queering our Kids, Gender Binaries, and Parenting Parameters
The focus of this discussion will explore how adoptive couples negotiate different parenting styles within their relationships. We will also consider how gender roles come to be assigned, reinforced and challenged within our relationships. Lastly, our discussion will consider the impact of our family structure on adoptive children with no past experience of the LGBTQ community.
May: Open Forum
The topic of this meeting is being left open to allow for the inclusion of interests that emerge over the course of the year and demand a more committed timeframe for discussion.
June: Adoption Process and Post-Adoption Support
The focus of this discussion will be a discussion of the adoption options and process within the Ottawa community, as well as a discussion of the post-adoption support available to families. The discussion will be grounded in the experiences of participants and is intended as a forum in which parents-to-be can receive helpful hints, and ask questions in a safe, candid environment.
12 November 2009
What's Coming Up: Discussion Topics
At our first meeting of the year in October, we spent some time brainstorming on the issues we'd like to cover. Here's a brief glance at our 2009-10 schedule.
November: Our Well-Being After Adoption
The focus of our discussion will be on our needs in the weeks and months after adoption – in particular, we will be discussing the importance of self-care and the impact of adoption on our well-being (mental, emotional, sexual and physical). (And where are people getting child care for date nights anyway?)
December: Speaking of the Past?
The focus of this discussion will be on how adoptive parents negotiate the past with those around them. How do we support our children in understanding their pasts when gaps exist in the information available before they joined our families? How do we deal with the curiosity of others about our children’s pasts – what do we or don’t we share, and when? How do we honour our own pasts with our children and bring them into our traditions?
January: Managing Other People’s Experience with Your Adoption
The focus of this discussion will be on exploring how other people relate to our adoptions and how we manage relationships before and after adoptions take place. How does adoption change our friendships? How has it impacted your professional life? How have you incorporated your extended family into your child’s life? How do we address the most intrusive inquiries into our private lives?
February: Attachment
The focus of this discussion will be on attachment in the adoptive family. What has helped build strong attachments with our children? We will allow discuss how each parent in an adoptive couple might experience attachment with their adoptive child(ren) to varying degrees, and vice versa in terms of the pace that children attach to their adoptive parents. In addition, we will consider difficult attachments and their impacts on adoptive parents.
March: Not-So-Closed Adoptions
The focus of this discussion will explore adoptions in which birth families are involved with our children – whether as part of a negotiated open or partially open adoption, because they have found our adoptive families or because we have reached out to them. How are these relationships negotiated? How do we decide whether our children are ready for this contact? What do we do if we aren’t ready?
April: Queering our Kids, Gender Binaries, and Parenting Parameters
The focus of this discussion will explore how adoptive couples negotiate different parenting styles within their relationships. We will also consider how gender roles come to be assigned, reinforced and challenged within our relationships. Lastly, our discussion will consider the impact of our family structure on adoptive children with no past experience of the LGBTQ community.
May: Open Forum
The topic of this meeting is being left open to allow for the inclusion of interests that emerge over the course of the year and demand a more committed timeframe for discussion.
June: Adoption Process and Post-Adoption Support
The focus of this discussion will be a discussion of the adoption options and process within the Ottawa community, as well as a discussion of the post-adoption support available to families. The discussion will be grounded in the experiences of participants and is intended as a forum in which parents-to-be can receive helpful hints, and ask questions in a safe, candid environment.
A special thank you to Jules for taking notes and writing up these descriptions.
November: Our Well-Being After Adoption
The focus of our discussion will be on our needs in the weeks and months after adoption – in particular, we will be discussing the importance of self-care and the impact of adoption on our well-being (mental, emotional, sexual and physical). (And where are people getting child care for date nights anyway?)
December: Speaking of the Past?
The focus of this discussion will be on how adoptive parents negotiate the past with those around them. How do we support our children in understanding their pasts when gaps exist in the information available before they joined our families? How do we deal with the curiosity of others about our children’s pasts – what do we or don’t we share, and when? How do we honour our own pasts with our children and bring them into our traditions?
January: Managing Other People’s Experience with Your Adoption
The focus of this discussion will be on exploring how other people relate to our adoptions and how we manage relationships before and after adoptions take place. How does adoption change our friendships? How has it impacted your professional life? How have you incorporated your extended family into your child’s life? How do we address the most intrusive inquiries into our private lives?
February: Attachment
The focus of this discussion will be on attachment in the adoptive family. What has helped build strong attachments with our children? We will allow discuss how each parent in an adoptive couple might experience attachment with their adoptive child(ren) to varying degrees, and vice versa in terms of the pace that children attach to their adoptive parents. In addition, we will consider difficult attachments and their impacts on adoptive parents.
March: Not-So-Closed Adoptions
The focus of this discussion will explore adoptions in which birth families are involved with our children – whether as part of a negotiated open or partially open adoption, because they have found our adoptive families or because we have reached out to them. How are these relationships negotiated? How do we decide whether our children are ready for this contact? What do we do if we aren’t ready?
April: Queering our Kids, Gender Binaries, and Parenting Parameters
The focus of this discussion will explore how adoptive couples negotiate different parenting styles within their relationships. We will also consider how gender roles come to be assigned, reinforced and challenged within our relationships. Lastly, our discussion will consider the impact of our family structure on adoptive children with no past experience of the LGBTQ community.
May: Open Forum
The topic of this meeting is being left open to allow for the inclusion of interests that emerge over the course of the year and demand a more committed timeframe for discussion.
June: Adoption Process and Post-Adoption Support
The focus of this discussion will be a discussion of the adoption options and process within the Ottawa community, as well as a discussion of the post-adoption support available to families. The discussion will be grounded in the experiences of participants and is intended as a forum in which parents-to-be can receive helpful hints, and ask questions in a safe, candid environment.
A special thank you to Jules for taking notes and writing up these descriptions.
22 September 2009
We're Back!!!
After a long hiatus, we're please to announce that the group will be gearing up for 2009-10 beginning this October.
Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 20 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
From 6:30 to 7:00 pm, it will be a social and snacks and we'll start a more formal discussion at 7:00 pm. At this October meeting, we won't have a larger guiding theme but will just decide on the spot what is of most interest to the group. We'll also put forth a brief brainstorming session on topics we'd like to cover this year.
Please note that we have a new location and time: Centretown Community Health Centre from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. We began looking for a new location in August and strived to keep it central. Under the work it does with LGBTQ families, Centretown Community Health Centre will be providing us a room at no charge. Thank you, Centretown!
Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 20 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
From 6:30 to 7:00 pm, it will be a social and snacks and we'll start a more formal discussion at 7:00 pm. At this October meeting, we won't have a larger guiding theme but will just decide on the spot what is of most interest to the group. We'll also put forth a brief brainstorming session on topics we'd like to cover this year.
Please note that we have a new location and time: Centretown Community Health Centre from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. We began looking for a new location in August and strived to keep it central. Under the work it does with LGBTQ families, Centretown Community Health Centre will be providing us a room at no charge. Thank you, Centretown!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
