Gotcha Day

This week marks our 3rd anniversary of bringing home our beautiful Sophia. In the past, we have not celebrated her "Gotcha' Day." This year, however, she is beginning to have some ideas about adoption, birth families, etc. due in large part to our beginning paperwork to adopt another daughter. In the spirit of teaching her what a great gift and opportunity that adoption can be, we want to have a special family celebration this year to collect infant items which will then be shipped back to her orphanage of origin.

Other ideas are listed below (compliments of http://www.adoption.com/):

~Similar to a birthday with cake, presents, and a party.
~No party, but giving the child a choice for a special activity i.e. zoo, museum, park, and perhaps a special dinner.
~Lighting candles to honor birth parents, foster parents, etc.
~A family activity i.e. picnic, baseball game, or visit to an amusement park
~Presenting a gift that represents the child's birth heritage i.e. the country, state, or city they were born in.
~Reviewing a child's life book, and perhaps adding a page to represent the past year
~Doing a presentation in your child's classroom about adoption and how families are different.
~Sending in cupcakes or an activity that your child's class can participate in that represents adoption, families, or your child's cultural background.
~Remembering the children left behind, children still in foster care or orphanages: volunteering with a foster care group or sending a care package to your child's orphanage.
~Using the day to acknowledge other adoptive families that may be struggling by committing to provide respite a certain numbers of hours per month.
~Writing in a family journal.
~Helping your child to write or draw something in a journal about their life, their adoption, or their past.
~Reading a book about families and/or adoption.
~Letting the honored child sit at the head of the table throughout the day.
~Make a crown to celebrate the special day.
In the past, adoption was considered a quiet, secretive event. Now, thankfully, families can celebrate the joy and happiness that has come to them through becoming an adoptive family.

© Susan M. Ward, Older Child Adoption Online Magazine

I'd love to hear from other adoptive families to see how/if they celebrate!