# explaining adoption to young cousins



## Loobys (Nov 14, 2010)

Hi

I wonder if someone can help me, a while ago i read a post about explaining adoption to young children / cousins and i can't seem to find it now.

I wonder if anyone had any advice for us?? we are hoping to be matched soon and although the children in our lifes know we are adopting, 
all we have said so far is my tummy is broken so i cannot grow babies as the youngest one has asked a few times when am i going to have a baby in my belly.

Thanks Loobys.


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## GERTIE179 (Apr 20, 2005)

Hi

Sorry not much help but think MumintheMaking and Panorama have shared the excitement felt by nieces etc so may best placed to give advice.

Will scrounge around and see if I can recall any points as I remember seeing it in the chat thread at one point.

Take care
G x


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## KG81 (Oct 21, 2009)

Hi

We bought our little boy's cousins a book, the Teazles baby bunny, it's a great story for kids explaining things. I think it is one of the book recommended by the BAAF.
Good luck for the match x x


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## muminthemaking (Jan 10, 2008)

HI Loobys,
We have 3 nieces who are now 5/6/7, they are all aware of the adoption and soooo excited about having new cousins. We found it really difficult knowing how to tell them in an age appropriate manner and had a lack of support in terms of ideas from our sw. We brought some of the books recommended for talking about adoption but found that they were more appropriate for using with our adopted children (when we get them!). In the end we took the conversation down the route of  "we're going to have a little boy or little girl come live with us, we'll be her mummy and daddy because her old mummy and daddy cant give her the things she needs. You know how on the tv you sometimes see little boys and girls who dont get enough food or water, dont have many toys or clothes, that might be the kind of little boy or girl that need a new mummy or daddy" 
They did seem to grasp that, they thought it was really good that now the children will be able to have nice things. They're too young to be aware of other reasons why children might be removed, they're all really excitied to meet their new cousins now. Am sure they'll be many more questions as they get older and gain more understanding!
Good luck x


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## thespouses (Jan 5, 2006)

I have two nieces and I'm a Brown Owl and I was in the middle of writing a story for all the girls about how adoption works, I was going to try and get my nieces to draw me some pictures for it. If I finish it I will let you know! My nieces are 5 and 8.

Our son was officially relinquished but would have been removed if not, so although we are in a slightly different situation to most UK adopters, the appropriate language to use with young children (e.g. his birth mother loved him very much but knew she could not keep him safe) is going to be the same, so I'm going to try and keep the story relevant to UK adopters/adopters from foster care, too.


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## Camly (Dec 12, 2006)

hiya


when we brought our girls home, my nephew was only 5. we never went into that much detail tbh, he has just accepted the girls as his cousins.briefly said that the girls tummy mummy and daddy couldnt look after them and we had picked them to be our little girls. now and again, he will hear the girls mention that they weren't born in my tummy and he will ask 'why not' and 'was i born in my mummys tummy'. i think as long as your open and obv being age appropriate it will all fall into place.


best of luck with your journey xxxx


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