We're all still enjoying the many pleasures of summer but autumn is not far off! The subject of adoption may seem like an odd fit alongside math and reading-but it's important nonetheless.

Misconceptions, unanswered questions and natural curiosity sometimes get the best of us, adults and children alike. Start the school year off on a good foot for you and your child by offering to give a talk about adoption to your child's class. Adoptive Families Magazine has resources to assist you in this endeavor and has created a well thought out downloadable flier to distribute to the class as a take-home for parents after the talk.

Their handout is an easy-to-read and informative break down covering the basics of adoption and how to continue a discussion of adoption with children using accurate and age-appropriate information, such as adoption myths vs. realities and possible responses children may hear from their peers when they ask questions about adoption. The handout also contains positive adoption language-"was adopted instead of is adopted, adoption plan instead of giving up for adoption" and recommended reading divided into age groups.

As summer winds down and you begin to gear up for another school year, consider reaching out to your child's teacher and giving an adoption talk to the class. After all, learning and growing happens in many different ways-it's not all reading and math. Helping a child who was not adopted better understand adoption is just as important a learning experience as 2+2.

Wishing you all a happy fourth of July and a wonderful rest of summer,

Dale and Raquel