Our daughter Lucy had been with us several months when she was due to start the local school in Reception.  We were excited for her, and really hoped that she would blend in with the other children and not stand out as being different in any way that resulted from her unfortunate start in life.  Our experience from the few months of nursery she had attended, however had prepared us that this was unlikely to be the case.

In the early weeks post-placement many adopters feel a mix of emotions in response to their child.  For some adoptive parents the challenging and negative emotions seem more prevalent than the positive ones, and can on occasion lead to them starting to question their reasons for wanting to adopt.  Sometimes these challenging emotions can put the adoption placement at risk of breaking down.  I know this - because it almost happened to us.

After four years in the adoption process we were very ready for the arrival of our daughter. Although emotionally exhausting, the eight-day introduction period went well.  We warmed to her - she warmed to us; she and our birth son seemed to get on well.  We were all beyond excited when she moved in - we adored her.  Happy days!  Our dream of a perfect family was coming true!