Your child always wants the same thing for lunch: Half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with orange slices and some carrot sticks. As it approaches noon you head to the pantry to pull out the ingredients, but something's amiss. You can't find the jar of peanut butter anywhere. Then you remember: You used the last of it yesterday.
The Cradle Blog
November 15,2018
It’s no secret the adoption process is a daunting one. For many families, even the journey of making the choice to adopt can be long and emotional. Once couples arrive at The Cradle and begin the process, there are often more surprises and struggles along the way.
October 26,2018
Photo Courtesy of NBC
October 12,2018
National Adoption Month is upon us yet again. Though we celebrate adoption each day, November gives us a reason to focus on the importance of adoption in our lives, and say thank you to those who made it possible: from selfless birth parents to adoption counselors and beyond.
September 14,2018
Autumn is the perfect season for sensory-based activities. From colorful leaves crunching underfoot to shiny red apples and gooey pumpkin guts, it's total wonderland. It also provides the perfect opportunity to celebrate the magic of changing seasons and the art and science of nature with your child.
September 07,2018
You’ve seen it on T.V and public transit advertisements, heard about it on the radio, and chances are from more than one of your friends. Since DNA testing has been made widely available and (relatively) inexpensive, it’s changed the way Americans think about their genetic history.
August 31,2018
We asked adoptive parents and birth parents: If you could go back in time and give yourself advice before starting the adoption process, what would you say? What do you wish you knew back then?
August 26,2018
Among the boxes of Kleenex, the 10-cent spiral notebooks and multicolored dry-erase markers, among the smell of brand-new denim and the return of the PB&J, is the well-known stress (coupled with relief) that comes with the start of a new school year. For families formed through adoption, this stress is especially complicated.
August 24,2018
Karin Peterson and Kathyrn Smith are The Cradle’s Community Outreach and Education team, a truly dynamic duo who travel throughout the greater Chicago metropolitan area and northern Indiana offering training and support to professionals who work with women and men considering the option of adoption.
June 06,2018
A few months ago, the Our Children program, Raising Black Children Across Racial Lines brought together transracial adoptees and adoptive parents. Together, they discussed the unique issues brought about when white parents raise children of color. Some recurrent themes stood out ...
May 22,2018
The Cradle's Center for Lifelong Adoption Support has unveiled an exciting new therapy space. Filled with all the toys, books and games your child could imagine, as well as a puppet theatre and giant chalkboard, the non-directive play therapy room is officially open for Cradle counseling sessions.
May 18,2018
Last year, The Cradle hosted a roundtable as part of the Our Children initiative. Called Raising Black Girls, the roundtable addressed the complex issues involved in parenting a Black girl in today's society.
May 01,2018
There is no fixed definition for "normal" behavior. It varies by person, time, place and situation. Challenges may crop up for your family that therapists in The Cradle’s Center for Lifelong Adoption Support (CLAS) can help you work through.
April 20,2018
Of course, every day is Earth Day, but this annual international observance gives us a great excuse to do a little something extra, and have some fun with our children.
February 05,2018
The Adoptive Family Weekend is full and we will not be taking anymore registrations. If you would like to be informed about next year's event please email us at AdoptiveFamilyWeekend@gmail.com and request to be put on our mailing list. Thank you!
July 11,2017
Homeland visits can be a great way to help your child understand their roots. They can provide important information for them to craft identities around, and are experiences they will carry with them throughout their lifetime. Cradle adoption therapist Mandy Jones has some recommendations for families who are considering planning one of these trips.