I was reading these two stories (Out of tragedy, sportsmanship has a shining moment and One Armed Host Scaring Kids, Parents Say)and couldn't help but to notice how very different they are in terms of tolerance, acceptance and compassion (or lack thereof). It really is amazing what a compassionate society can create and vice versa.
Malcolm's senior year of high school, the student body elected a student with severe cerebral palsy (who was unable to walk or speak verbally) as their homecoming king. This kid could always be seen on the sidelines of sporting events, sitting in his wheelchair alongside his Dad. Prior to the homecoming game, I didn't even realize he was a student at St. Joe. I earned a lot of respect for the student body that day, and frankly, for their parents as well. I was touched that these kids (teenagers for God's sake) would make such a thoughtful and considerate choice for their homecoming king; and for a few hours, my faith in humanity was restored.
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Normal is over-rated and not nearly as interesting or fun. The story of how a young, single girl with less pigment and two teenagers with more pigment redefine the traditional family model and become the All-American Family.
What's up with the blog?
This blog has been created in hopes of encouraging others to consider adopting older children. We hope that by getting to know us, you'll feel less intimidated about starting your own super, incredible, funky, awesome family. We might look unique, but we're just like every other family. In fact, if you ask us, we'll tell you that we're BETTER than other families! Get to know us and you'll see that we're as real as it gets.
Links about adoption can be found on this blog. However, if you have questions that you'd like to ask us, please feel free to do so.
I'm also working on a book, A Real Family.
Links about adoption can be found on this blog. However, if you have questions that you'd like to ask us, please feel free to do so.
I'm also working on a book, A Real Family.
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How does that work?
Team Thompson is just like every other family--every other superior family, that is :). Don't let pigmentation or age fool you. A strong family requires only one thing: committment.
Before I became an adoptive parent, I, too, would look at adoptive families and think, "How does that work?" The answer: Like any other family! It's pretty simple, I don't expect anything from my kids that I don't simultaneously expect from myself. We're in this together--we're a Team. Though my brother coined the phrase "Team Thompson", it couldn't have fit us any better.
We've been successful because we work as a team. We're honest with each other and we're honest about how people pereceive us. I have the same expectations for my kids that my parents had for me, so when they complain about something, I just say, "I feel your pain--I used to feel the same way." Sure, we started in different places, but we're going in the same direction and in the end, that's all that matters.
Diversity and having different experiences only enhances us as a family--only makes us stronger and more beautiful. The idea that I am any less my kids' Mother because I'm younger than "normal" (which is so boring anyway), or have less pigment in my skin is a myth based on social insecurities. I am confident in my role and have always expected them to feel the same way.
As parents, we decide how our children will feel about us. It's a powerful role that I have never taken lightly. If anything, I have grown so much as a person since becoming the Mother of Mychael and Malcolm. I am much more confident and well rounded now than I was ten years ago. Would I have been able to grow this much had I given birth to children? I highly doubt it. Besides, had I done that, I wouldn't have Mychael and Malcolm and I cannot imagine a life without them.
When I first adopted Mychael and Malcolm, people would say things like, "Your kids must be so thankful for you," or "The boys must be so appreciative." Yeah right! Are your teenagers thankful for you? If so, what's wrong with them? What teenagers are thankful for their parents? Mychael and Malcolm were no exception! I don't know about your family, but we're normal!
Adoption Links (as well as some of our own personal favorites)
- Adopt Us Kids
- Adoption.com
- Alex Smith Foundation (fomer Helix grad and teammate of Mychael's--Go Alex!)
- Attempting Agape
- Annie E. Casey Foundation
- Children Awaiting Parents
- Children's Defense Fund
- Child Welfare League of America
- Child Welfare.gov (Spanish)
- Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
- Foster Care Central
- Heart Gallery of America
- Hope and Home
- I am waiting to be wanted-Fix Foster Care Now
- Indiana Waiting Children
- Keith Brooking Foundation
- National Adoption Center Blog
- National Association of Former Foster Care Children of America
- National Council For Adoption
- National Foster Care Coalition
- Team Thompson.Menlo Park
- Waiting Child Fund
- You Gotta Believe
POST Institute-Therapy That Works!
Foster care soldiers, adoptees and adoptive parents
- Famous Former Foster Youth
- Bizzy Bone-one of Mychael's favorites (this song is about BB's childhood)
- Bone, Thugs N Harmony
- Keith Bullock, NFL
- Keyshia Cole
- Antwone Fisher
- Marilyn Monroe
- Dave Pelzer
- Famous adoptees
- Larry Ellison, CEO Oracle
- Steve Jobs, CEO and co-founder Apple Inc.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
- Famous adoptive parents
- Tony Dungy, NFL
- Demarcus Ware, NFL
Articles about Adoption and Foster Care
- Adopting Older Children
- Adopted Musicians Share Tales on CBS
- Better Futures for Former Foster Children
- Between Sundays
- Current, former foster youth recall birthdays forgotten in foster care
- Foster Children Face the World at 18
- Nation's Foster Children Deserve Stable Families
- Trying to Make the Road to College Easier
Adoption Blogs (some of these people are AMAZING!)
Excellent Books of Related Interest
Movies relating to foster care or adoption
Team Thompson
Gretchan Thompson's Content Producer Page - Associated Content
http://www.associatedcontent.comuser/440967/gretchan_thompson.html
http://www.associatedcontent.comuser/440967/gretchan_thompson.html