300th post - home study stories again!

I realised yesterday that I hadn't updated after our social worker visit last week; it seems like a pretty poor 300th post - but I'll work on something better for my 303rd post...

When the social worker visited last Tuesday, we looked mostly at our support network (our Ecomap). We spent a lot of time talking about who would give us what support, emotional, physical, and care. We spent time talking about friends, who we would phone and wouldn't say 'well you wanted to adopt' but instead say helpful things. We talked about which friends we would be happy to meet with a child who may be disruptive. We talked a lot about who would bolster us up, and who wouldn't understand.

I talked about a few of my friends, but especially my friend R who I run Brownies with. I talked about her, because she attends lots of groups and activities where we live, and I know that when we are settled with an adopted child there is no way that she will let me hide. She will take me out places and introduce me to people. We talked about how difficult it can be with a toddler/pre-school child suddenly arriving, and not having the friendships that build up from baby groups.

We talked about therapeutic parenting. She told us that she is running a course on theraplay in September and she'll make sure that we'll get an invite for it. We talked again about our hopes and fears - it's telling that more of our fears are focused on the process now. She also had a look around our house.

This week it's individual visits, and referee visits. M has had his visit, as has our first referee - who described me as a stick of rock with 'mother' written all the way through. I think I'm grateful.

As to why no post until now...

Last week was spent preparing for the y11 prom on Friday evening. Me and one of my colleagues spent a long time blowing helium balloons up on Friday afternoon... but it was worth it to see all the pupils having such a great time.