Adoptive mom Becca Clarke shares about Holt’s Post Adoption Coaching & Education (PACE) program, and how it was just the support and resource she and her family needed.
My husband and I are the parents of two beautiful boys, ages 10 and 12, born in South Korea. Our eldest came home at 13 months and the transition was relatively painless (at least for me). Our youngest came home in 2014 after the law changed in South Korea and he was almost 2 and a half.
The second transition was difficult for every single member of our small family. I basically did anything I could to get us to finish that first year home, at which point I knew everything would work out fine. And it did improve, every year better than the last.
That is, until our eldest hit 10 and became a pre-teen. He started pushing the boundaries and showing the signs of beginning independence. This was mostly felt by me as my husband parents a more traditional, authoritarian way. This coincided with the beginning of the pandemic and these “growing pains” escalated quickly.
I needed help and turned to Holt International’s post-adoption services. I started off with attending various webinars and learned something helpful every time. We had completed all of the adoptive parent training in the beginning of our adoption processes, but either I didn’t remember or couldn’t hear it at that time. With each webinar, I walked away with a couple of nuggets of wisdom that I could put into practice.
“The individual coaching sessions were exactly what I needed — a shot of education, inspiration and empathy.”
Next, I started working one on one with Carolyn Cain in Holt’s Post Adoption Coaching & Education (PACE) program. It was incredibly helpful to have someone to share normal developmental behavior versus adopted child behavior with me. Carolyn was such a joy and I never felt judged or shamed. She was reassuring and gave me the confidence that I could handle this, all tailored to my situation and family. The individual coaching sessions were exactly what I needed — a shot of education, inspiration and empathy. These are so valuable, I want to do this once a year as a check-in and to balance myself.
This year, I participated in a parent support club, which was also really helpful. We went deeper into a topic each week, and because it was a small group we could share or hear stories from our peers. This was very valuable as well. We are not alone in this journey.
I am really glad I started using Holt International’s post-adoption services, especially the PACE program. I highly recommend all of their services!
Becca Clarke | Holt Adoptive Mom
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All parents encounter challenges as their children grow up. And sometimes, issues may arise that leave you uncertain as to how best to respond. But not every issue requires therapy or counseling. The PACE program is here to help during those times.
