- 5/16/2007 10:00:00 PMFirst Parenting ClassLast night we had the first of our 5 parenting classes given by Catholic Charities. All totaled, we are required to have 16 hours of classes. This will be spread out over 5 sessions (4 - 2 hour sessions on Wednesday evenings and 1 - 8 hour session on a Saturday).
I wasn't sure what to expect from the classes. I certainly don't know everything about parenting and nothing about parenting an adopted child but I do know some things. After we arrived, one of the first things we had to do was introduce ourselves. We went first. By the time the last couple spoke up, it appeared that out of 15+ couples there (some with children, some not) - we had been married longer than all but 2 other couples. One was married 27 years and the other 33. One couple had 9 natural children and 5 adopted. I would very much like to glean some information from them.
Of all the people there, I recognized 4 couples that had also hosted a Russian child. They were all in various stages of the process - some behind us and some ahead. We are all struggling with the same basic issues: the cost, the wait, piles of paperwork, the parenting class, and the general frustration of the experience. Some of the other couples were adopting from China and Guatamala while the rest of the people were either involved in a U.S. adoption or doing foster care.
I believe that when all is said and done and Yuri is home, we are going to have a close and unique friendship with the other families who went through this along with us. One thing is certain, none of us will ever be the same.
