Being a kid is tough; but being an adopted kid is even tougher. Your adopted child may know the facts of why they were adopted, but managing the complex and often conflicting feeling about being adopted is often more than they can do. They may shut down, act out, or even push you away, testing the limits of your love. What they are really doing is demonstrating the pain they are feeling, but are unable to communicate. There are many things your adopted kids wish you knew: "Even though I don't remember my birth Mom or Dad, I know they're out there; and it hurts." "Sometimes I feel guilty for loving my new family." "I know I was adopted; but sometimes I feel like I was stolen from my real life." "Sometimes, when I look at you, it reminds me of my birth family and it hurts." "There is an empty place in my heart that belongs to my birth parents." "I wonder if you will still love me if you know I miss my real Mom & Dad" Heart Helps for Adopted Kids is a guided journal for kids to safely explore and communicate the feelings they have about adoption.
