Questions about your child

Adoption tip # 44

When you pick up your child you may wonder what kind of questions you want to ask the Ayahs or Director. When we were waiting for guardianship I could think of many things that I wanted to know, but when it came time to travel and I wanted to write them down I just couldn’t think of them all because there was so much else on my mind about traveling. So, here is a list that I have compiled that may help you if you are about ready to leave. And if you are still waiting on guardianship my advise to you is to write those questions down now that are coming to you. Maybe this list will get you thinking about other things you would really like to know or things that your child will want to know about as she/he grows. I will use the word her for the child in the following, just to make it easier.

Who named my baby?
What is her eating schedule?
What is her sleeping schedule?
How does she go to sleep? With a back rub? All by herself? With another child in her crib?
What comforts her when she is sad? Or upset?
What is her Ayahs name?
Can I have her Ayah or the director write out her name, in her native language, on a card or paper for me to put in her life book?
Who are my child’s playmates?
Can I see the rooms where my child spent time? And room and crib that she slept in?
What is my child’s personality?
What is her favorite toy?
Does she have any likes or dislikes?
Are there any foods that she really likes or dislikes?
Does she know any words and can you translate them for me?
Has my child been around any pets?
Are there any games that my child knows or really likes?
What did her birth mom look like? Does my child look a lot like her?

When we picked up our Sananda they brought her to us when we were still talking in the office and once they put her in my arms I didn’t ask all the questions that I written down.
I guess you can imagine that I was kinda distracted after that. Now I wish I had asked them all because I don’t know if I will ever find the answers out now or not. My advise on that is, if this happens to you, let your spouse know ahead of time to take the list and finish asking the questions.