Stahlke Adoption

Learning

Four years ago, at the orphanage in Kirovograd, we saw a taxi pull up to the gate and a small child about four years old disembark. As a new arrival, he was very apprehensive, and as soon as the staff finished working with him, he mingled with the children in the yard. In no time at all, he burst into loud screams and tears. Immediately about thirty children surrounded him, reassuring him and offering him candy. They could not bear to hear him cry.
________________________

This morning at breakfast, it was VERY GOOD to hear David say,
"Kola is screaming and crying for no reason. Nobody did anything to him!"

That's a big improvement from the usual response from our children that we are treating Kola badly or even abusing him. They are starting to learn that little children have tantrums when emotions overwhelm them.

After working this morning with Kola, we narrowed the problem down to two possibilities. His big brother Paul played in his first football scrimmage, shortly after breakfast, and Kola had overhead comments from the coaches that football is a dangerous sport. After the scrimmage, we drove to Kola's elementary school to see the sign on the door announcing his teacher's name. With "Mrs. Farmer" firmly planted in his consciousness, and Paul safely finished with the game, Kola returned home much happier than when he left.

posted by Stahlkes @ 6:34 PM