A.D.O.P.T.E.D

Summary

The website content provides a personal perspective on adoption and ADHD, featuring stories and insights from the author's experiences and research.

Abstract

The author, who often writes about topics that come to mind, frequently touches upon themes of adoption and ADHD, emphasizing the positive aspects of ADHD that are often overlooked. The content includes a collection of seven personal stories that delve into the author's journey of discovering details about their birth-father, the realities of being an adopted child, and the process of writing a book about these experiences. The articles cover a range of topics from the myth of the "chosen baby" in adoption to the impact of television on adopted individuals' understanding of their heritage, and the author's own experiences in education, including teaching in a Black school. The author also reflects on their birth-father's service and death in World War II, which is connected to the HBO series "Band of Brothers." Additionally, the author provides resources for writers and those interested in adoption, as well as insights into the challenges and traumas faced by adopted individuals.

Opinions

The author believes that ADHD has many positive traits that should be celebrated and not just the difficult aspects that are commonly focused on.
There is an opinion that the narrative of adopted children being "chosen" can be misleading and potentially harmful.
The author values the importance of understanding one's heritage and the impact it has on identity, as seen in their efforts to learn about their birth-father's experiences during the war.
The author suggests that even mundane activities like watching TV can offer insights into an adopted person's background and sense of self.
There is a reflection on the educational system, particularly the labeling of young children with ADHD, which the author seems to question based on their teaching experience.
The author expresses a personal connection to historical events through their birth-father's service, indicating a sense of pride and a desire to honor his memory.
The author's work encourages other white individuals to engage with the Black Lives Matter movement and offers a perspective on staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The author acknowledges the challenges of writing, particularly when it comes to personal memoirs, and provides encouragement and resources for fellow writers.
The author is currently working on two books that explore their personal adoption story and the complexities of their upbringing, suggesting a belief in the importance of sharing such narratives.

Some Stories about Adoption (and ADHD)

Adoption | ADHD | birth-family| Tips | TV

Although I often write about whatever crosses my mind, Adoption and ADHD (a common trait of many adopted folks) most often find their way into Illumination. Here are seven of these stories:

A for ADHD: All too often the experts teach us to recognize and manage the difficult stuff of ADHD. They ignore the wonderful aspects of ADHD, the traits we should celebrate.

D for Discover and Details: After I decided to write a book about my birth-father, I realized I knew little about the war in which he died. In order to write Finding My Hero (forthcoming Fall 2020), I’d have to discover details about paratrooper training, D-Day, and battles.

O for Orphanage: I was adopted from an orphanage as an infant. Told I was chosen but that wasn’t true. Not only was I lied to but that lie would have disappointing implications as I grew up.

P for Peaches: Those of us who are adopted often agonize about finding our birth-parents. How will we find them? Why were we rejected? Will we be accepted?

T for TV: I never liked TV, rarely watched it, found it boring when reading was more satisfying. But even watching TV can give adopted folks a clue about where they came from.

E for Education: I’ve taught 2nd graders, college students, graduate students, teachers, and parents, even a year in an all-Black school where many of the kids if in kindergarten today would be labeled ADHD because 5-year-olds wiggle a lot.

D for Day My birth-father, John Derrick Halls, was killed on D-Day, June 6, 1944, after parachuting into Normandy. An actor would play him in Steven Spielberg’s HBO series Band of Brothers.

If you’re a writer or a wannabe writer, take a look at my week of Writing a Memoir challenge.

“Shooting Myself in the Foot describes the fear some adopted folks have over going against their parents’ wishes . . or how it took me four years to write a master’s thesis and what I did with it! More adoption stories include Losing the Letters of Willa Cather: An Adoption Story about Unworthiness and the trauma of Losing a Father

Thanks to ADHD, I’m writing two books at the same time: “Finding My Hero: An Adoption Memoir from World War Two” and “Growing Up Adopted: Love Wounded.” (One is the story of my birth-father and his family. The other, the story of the family who adopted and raised me with love . . . and made lots of mistakes. (No family is perfect!)

ADOPTION | ADHD | BIRTH FAMILY | TIPS | TV

A.D.O.P.T.E.D.

Some Stories about Adoption (and ADHD)

7 Reasons I Love ADHD

Despite My Advanced Age and Gray Hair

They Never Talked about The War

Until I Met Viet Nam Vets of the 101st Airborne

The Chosen Baby

Spoiler Alert: If You Were Adopted, You Probably Weren’t Chosen

Canned Peaches with Fern

Meeting My Birth-Mother

My Life Without TV Until Covid and George Floyd

Only watching TV on June 6 until the World Changed

Kindergarten in a Black School

A White Teacher’s First Job after College

Memorial Day | World War 2 | Band of Brothers | This happened to Me

He Was Of The Greatest Generation