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“Hi Nana, I am going to Church School this morning, but it is not really church, just at church and it is about something else, not God.”
These were my 4 year old granddaughter’s words as she passed by on her way to the Adoption Fair, Saturday April 19, 2008, at SJA. My granddaughter is adopted, and I am a surrogate Grandma as hers is deceased. We joined a group of parishioners for a morning of fun and enrichment for adopted kids and teens and their families. Children participated in activities regarding identity, ethnicity, and self esteem issues. Children’s Home Society and Family Services provided SJA with their skilled counselors to have a learning morning using games and activities.
The first half hour everyone was together for team building exercises. They divided everyone into three groups. The first exercise is to get across the sea without falling into the water using two bandanas, a bungee cord, and a scooter. On the other side of the water were treasurers to behold. Lots of problem solving went on! Another exercise was a flying carpet that everyone in the group needed to be on in order to fly. While everyone was on the carpet, it then needed to be turned over to see the directions for flying, as they were on the bottom side.
“We were always last, but we did it, Nana.”
The children were then divided into age groups and left their parents to do their own thing.
“My group read a book, went fishing, I got candy fish, and drew a picture of myself.”
While looking at her picture and unable to decipher parts of it, I did ask! She answered, “It is ME, inside and out. We are the same inside, but different out.”
Lastly, my granddaughter told me that they watched a Tigger Movie. I asked what the story was. “I don’t remember!”
While the kids were away, the parents were together to discuss the ethnic identity development and how to raise resilient children. A few tips: give your child the necessary tools for his age of development to deal with issues, give the vocabulary of feelings and remember they take in much more than we realize, so be a good example.
At noon it was over and everyone seemed very pleased with their participation in the morning. A good time was had by all! Thank you Children’s Home Society and Family Services, you were fantastic!
Later that afternoon my granddaughter asked me if I wanted to know about of the movie. “Tigger was looking for his mother, looking everywhere. But he couldn’t find her. Pooh, Piglet, and Rabbit loved him and were his family.”
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