Exploring Ways to Promote Positive Racial Identity

How can adoptive parents promote positive racial identity for their cross-culturally adopted children?

Some notes from the textbook…

According to Brooks (2013), the challenges and confusion surrounding racial identity are improved when parents provide their adopted children with opportunities that promote a positive racial identity.

Brooks, J. (2013) The Process of Parenting (9th ed.). Toronto, ON: McGraw-Hill

What opportunities will promote a positive racial identity?

I have come across a few websites with great information on the subject and have included them below.

Some key ideas while reviewing the websites include:

• make culture an open topic of conversation
• discover programs that offer exploration of cultural opportunities for the child to take part in, such as dance or language courses
• find community events related to your child’s cultural background
• have positive role models of your child’s racial/ethnic background
• take part in traditions or celebrations from your child’s culture of origin

What’s in the Media…

https://www.adoptontario.ca/transracial-adoption

This website provides pertinent and relevant information related to cross cultural adoption. There is information related to identity development, questions to ask yourself prior to adoption, tips for parents who have decided to adopt children of differing racial backgrounds.

https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=cross-cultural-adoptions-raise-sensitive-issues-1-3086

This website provides ways in which a family can make their adopted child’s culture of origin part of their family life.

https://adoptuskids.org/adoption-and-foster-care/how-to-adopt-and-foster/envisioning-your-family/transracial-adoption

This website provides tips and considerations for by professionals as well as adoptive parents to promote a successful transracial adoption.