The last few posts haven’t had much to do with adoption. So I thought I should put a post about what we are currently working on since our adoption classes on 10/17 – 10/18.
Homework!!! There is an intense Essay that we each have to complete as part of our home-study. I knew it would be a lot of work but WOW!.
The social workers say it should be about 10 pages (they don’t want it much longer), but I can’t imagine how we could answer all the essay questions in only 10 pages, and neither can Jason. I have spent no less than 8 hours so far working on mine and I’m about 70% completed and have about 10 pages now.
Each question is very long and requires a lot of thought. I was planning on directly coping some questions to show on here, but I keep forgetting to grab the sheet. Since I have read them all so many times I know the basic idea of them.. so this isn’t exactly the way they are worded but will give you an idea of what we are looking at…
1) Describe your childhood. Your transition from childhood to adolescence and from adolescence to adulthood. How were you disciplined how were you encouraged? What was your most memorable childhood moment? What were your thoughts on it as a child and how are they different then your thoughts on them now?
2) Describe your relationship with your spouse. How do you communicate? How do you make small decisions and how to do you make large decisions?
3) What was the hardest thing you have ever been through? How did you cope with it? What are your coping strategies and describe how you manage stress in your life.
4) Describe your discipline methods. When and how are/will children disciplined? Describe how you will reward & encourage children. Tell us about a time you encouraged and a time you disciplined. What is your experience with the school system? Do you feel you are able to be an advocate for your child in school? How will you do this?
5) Describe your home (Bedrooms, bathrooms, living areas). Where will the child(ren) sleep/stay. Describe your neighborhood and the ethnic background of the community, stores, schools, entertainment facilities nearby.
This is just an example of a few of the questions I remembered. They are all long deep questions with complicated answers. There are about 40 questions on the Essay that we are each required to answer each question on our own as individuals.
I’m hoping we will both be finished by the end of this weekend 11/30. Then we can submit them for review. Once reviewed, I believe we start visiting with social workers where they interview us together and individually and go over the items in our essays.
Happy Thanksgiving!
(Most items are under $10 so we have to sell many items to make a profit) It was close though. A lot of vendors said people are just not buying crafts and gifts this year like they have in past years. So our booth wasn’t the only one with low sales.
