Most adopted children will encounter at least one class in school where they need to create a family tree assignment. Many adoptive parents agree to this assignment, citing dishonesty, when in fact a family tree can benefit the child. In fact, adoption therapist Mary Lou Gill recommends including her biological parents in the adoptive tree.
The spouse you are adding to the individual in the family tree is usually represented by a dotted line. The same technique can be used to add biological parents, and your child can fill in whatever information is known. In closed adoptions the names of the parents may not be available, in which case they may be listed as “Birth Father” and “Birth Mother”. If they are biological siblings, they can also be included.
“Let it not become a work of fiction” Cautions Gil. Adopted children want to mirror their biological parents physical traits or personalities that do not belong to the family. Tree.” It goes on to say that adopted children should only represent the facts in the school project, which will make the scientific assignment. “This does not mean that you cannot talk about it, if that is what your child wants to explore. . In the family birth included, on the other hand turn to their instructor. .
You can take it a step further and create two family trees for a school assignment. Adopted children often want to represent both families in full, especially if they were adopted at an older age. A tree of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and even great-grandmothers, to fully recognize both families.
“The most important thing is that your son is comfortable in recognizing his adoptive family, rather than shielding him from denial because of the truth,” explains Gil. adopted children often feel the need to know where they ‘come from’ and where the family tree can be. per- way to explore with your child.
A few additions:
Talk to your child’s teacher.
If your child isn’t comfortable making a family tree, or is worried about making fun of other kids, talk to their teacher to find out what you can do to help. For example, if students are expected to present family trees to the class, perhaps your child may be the best.
Propose that something else is good.
Your child should be concerned that his family tree is different from all the others. See that something else is good, and that it is the kind that flatters everyone.
Help connect your child.
If your child has another friend at school who is adopted, encourage them to work together on this project. Allow them to strengthen the two ways and reinforce each other’s strengths.
