FacePalm Friday

By Rally on 5-11-2012 in FacePalm Friday

Welcome to this week’s edition of FacePalm Friday.

This is where your hosts will list their top picks for this week’s FacePalm moment—something they learned or read about this week that caused the FacePalm to happen (you know, the expression of embarrassment, frustration, disbelief, shock, disgust or mixed humor as depicted in our Rally FacePalm smiley).
We invite you to add your FacePalm of the week to our comments. Go ahead and add a link, tell a personal story, or share something that triggered the FacePalm on the subject of child welfare or adoption.

Your Host’s Selections:

(1) You Know You Are an Adoptive Parent When… poem

It is making the rounds on Facebook pages and blogs everywhere. One public example of the many places it is at http://almcrock.blogspot.com/2012/05/you-know-youre-adoptive-parent-when.html

“1. The fact that there are 143 million children without a parent to kiss them goodnight has made you lose sleep.

Actually not true. Most have one living parent or other loving family members. 2 million in orphanages. 2 million.

2. You realize DNA has nothing to do with love and family.

Yes but DNA can trace back that original family that so many adoptees are searching for.

3. You can’t watch Adoption Stories on TLC without sobbing.

Ugh, do you also aspire to have your child on Toddlers and Tiaras?

4. The fact that, if 7% of Christians adopted 1 child there would be no orphans in the world, is convicting to you.

If 7% of Christians spent a fraction of adoption expenses, all possible families could be preserved or at least the children could receive medical care, education and job training.

5…. You spend free time surfing blogs about families who have experienced the blessing of adoption.

6. It drives you crazy when people ask you about adopted child’s “real” parents.

Adoption is not natural but people are naturally curious. Hopefully you don’t act crazy when asked simple questions.

7. You have ever been “pregnant” with your adoptive child longer than it takes an elephant to give birth.(2 years!)

Pregnancy and adoption are not the same.

8. You had no idea how you would afford to adopt but stepped out in faith anyway, knowing where God calls you He will provide.

Fundraising late in the adoption?

9. You have ever taken an airplane ride half-way around the worldwith a child you just met.

Ever think how scary that is for the child?

10. You believe God’s heart is for adoption.

His heart is not for the accompanying corruption and coercion.

11. You realize that welcoming a child into your heart and family is one of the most important legacies you could ever leave on this earth.

Shouldn’t it be about the needs of the child, not you?

12. You know what the word “Dossier” means, and you can actually pronounce it!

Perhaps an IQ test should be added to the homestudy.

13. You have welcomed a social worker into the most private parts of your life.

Doubtful. I think there are some very private things they don’t explore…maybe they should…

14. You shudder when people say your child is so lucky that you adopted them, knowing full well you are the blessed one to have him or her in your life.”

Ah yes, the faux humility.

(2) Bethany and Using the Teen Mom to “train” others about adoption

Agency To Educate Others About Adoption [Wayne Patch 5/3/12 by Daniel Hubbard]

““People need to see that it works for everyone involved.” Say what?

“Lowell and Baltierra are some of the stars of “Teen Mom” and “16 and Pregnant” are now engaged. They worked with BCS to find a family to adopt Carly. The couple conducted a semi-open adoption. They have seen Carly since she was adopted and receive regular updates about her from her adoptive family.

“Their story has been so transformative for them, their daughter, and the people who adopted them,” Dykstra-Powers said. “We’ve taken the opportunity to share that story with others because there are so many people out there who don’t think that adoption is a viable option for their family.” Will you share the percentage of open adoptions that the APs close? Yea, I doubt it.

to read endless soft stories about Bethany…

(3) The Vessel…contender for FacePalm of Century

Hat tip to a reader who forwarded on this jaw-dropping site http://the-vessel.org/ that refers to birthmothers as VESSELS. It has links to NCFA and Bethany.

Gives a whole disgusting to new meaning to Mother’s Day

(4) Senator Landrieu capitalizes on Craig Juntunen’s out-of-touch rant

She features it on her website. http://landrieu.senate.gov/mediacenter/inthenews/05-01-2012-1.cfm

(5)Mail Order Bride Company President Whines about Violence Against Women

Pot meet .

Mail Order Bride Company President Lobbying To Weaken Protections For Abused Immigrants

[Huffington Post 5/8/12 by Laura Bassett]

(6) May 9, 2012 Wall Stree Journal Editorial on Ethiopia front-page story

CAP implies that there is no problem whatsoever in Ethiopia and that some hidden evidence proves things are peachy keen. Amazingly Dr. Aronson’s editorial sounds good. A broken clock is correct twice a day, so go figure!

(7) Advice Columnist suggests to APs to keep domestic adoptee from original parents

When your adopted child wants to visit her birth mother…. [Birth Mother/First Mother Forum 5/6/12]

Good thing that BirthMother/First Mother forum dissects this expertly with a great discussion in the comments as this is so disturbing we don’t even know where to begin.