Lighthouse Thoughts

Infant Development

Infant development occurs in an orderly and predictable manner. In order to identify potential problems, parents need to have a working understanding of normal child development, acceptable variances, and problem indicators. Developmental milestones in adopted children should be closely supervised. Monitoring is essential to early diagnosis and intervention. The following is a list of developmental […]

When to Call the Doctor

As a new parent, trying to determine whether your child is sick (or sick enough) and whether you should contact the pediatrician can be tricky. Always follow the physician’s advice and when in doubt seek help. Reasons to call the pediatrician or other health-care resources may include: • Your child looks and acts sick. • […]

Choosing a Pediatrician

Choosing a pediatrician is an important step in your child’s healthcare plan. A pediatrician will be your child’s primary physician. Select a pediatrician in advance of your baby’s arrival and schedule an initial consultation. You will want to schedule a well-baby visit for within 48 hours of arriving home with your new baby. Your pediatrician […]

Birthmother Care

At Beacon House we have a responsibility to our Birthmothers to provide the highest quality of care. In order to achieve this goal, each of our Birthmother’s are assigned a Case Manager who is available to the birthmother 24 hours a day, 7days a week. The Case Manager’s role is to assist the Birthmother throughout […]

Understanding the Adoption Process

If you are considering adoption you have probably already thought a lot about your choices, and spent a reasonable amount of soul searching. Before moving forward it is necessary to have a good working knowledge of the adoption process. Ask yourself the following: • Do you understand the adoption process? • What questions do you […]

3 Kinds of Adoptive Parents

According to many professionals who work with adoptive families, there are three types of Adoptive Parents. They are the Blind, the Blaming, and the Balanced Adoptive Parents. Family dynamics are unique and even within a single family unit one parent may have a different parenting style than another. Immediate versus extended family members may also […]

What Adoption Means to Me-An Adoptive Parent

Adoption means that I get to be a Mom. Without adoption it would not have been impossible to have children. They are my children, in every sense of the word. I tuck them in at night, I bandage the boo-boos, and I scare away the monsters under the bed. I am a “Warrior Mom.” Sometimes […]

Talking to Your Child About Adoption

Your understanding of adoption and how it will impact your child is key to providing a well-balanced, secure foundation for your child. Planning and preparation will allow you to be able to initiate and participate in meaningful dialogue, as needed. Consider the following: · How will you explain adoption to your child? · What resources […]

Being Chosen by a Birthmother

A question that many adoption parents ask, is “how do birth mothers decide what family to choose to adopt their baby.” Some birth parents may have specific criteria in mind for their child. Others may choose a family based on something random that triggers an emotional response or they simply follow their instinct. Birthparents who […]

Your Adoption Profile Book

As part of the adoption process, you will be asked to create a personal profile in the form of a Profile Book. The Profile Book is a picture book with snapshots, and important personal information about you, the adoptive family. You will choose photos that will tell a story about your lives as a whole. […]