Family Transitions Dr. Connie Green

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Family TransitionsDr. Connie Green
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Adoption

• Adopted children are born just like other
  children
• Children are adopted after they are born
• Adoption is forever

• Adoption is a legal process
• Adoptive families share love like other families

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Adoption Tips for Teachers

• Develop a positive attitude toward adoption.
• Recognize that families talk about adoption in
  different ways.
• Get to know families before asking questions.
• Become informed about adoption issues.
• Review your curriculum.
• Make your classroom inclusive and be an advocate
  for adoptive children.

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Divorce

• About 60 of preschool children today will live
  in a single-parent family at some time.
• In 1998, 19.8 million children under 18 lived
  with 1 parent (55 of all black children, 23 of
  all white children).

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Childrens Reactions to Divorce

• May feel they caused divorce
• Anger toward parent they think caused divorce
• Try to re-unite parents
• Behavior problems

• Symptoms of physical illness
• Anger, crying, violent outbursts, withdrawal
• Academics may suffer

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Tips for Teachers on Divorce

• Be consistent with guidance/discipline.
• Help children feel successful.
• Encourage children to express their feelings and
  ask questions.
• Be on the childs side, not the side of either
  parent.
• Communicate with both parents and keep them
  involved in your program.

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Moving

• 6 million American families move yearly.
• Children fear separation and abandonment.
• Moving represents a loss of home, friends, and
  sometimes family.
• Many adjustments must be made.

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Helping Children Adjust to a Move

• Give honest answers to question and concerns.
  Take children on visits to new home.
• Teach children ways to cope and provide
  information about moving.
• Welcome children who are new to center, school,
  and community.

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Stages of Childrens Understanding of Death

• Under five Cannot fully conceive of finality and
  irreversibility of death. May think their
  actions caused death.
• Five to ten years May feel loss strongly and
  become concerned about their own death and that
  of others.

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Helping Children Cope With Death

• Explain in words they will understand.
• Reassure that adults will care for them.
• Each child grieves in his or her own way.

• Express your own feelings to children.
• Let children decide if they will attend service.
• Help children express their grief through art,
  writing, dramatic play.