Wednesday, March 19, 2014

"Am I Good Enough? The Impact of Adoption on Self-Esteem"

I will be a webinar panelist for the following webinar series offered by Children's Home Society of Minnesota and Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota: http://www.chsfs.org/fromourvoicesadoptedadultwebinarseries Below is my blog post/thoughts on the webinar next month: As an international adoptee, growing-up in Minnesota was difficult. Not only did I deal with the “normal” teasing, jealousy, and social awkwardness most children encounter during their childhood; I also encountered prejudice based on my ethnicity and physical traits. I was told my feet were too small or got mocked because of my “slanted, Asian-eyes”. Dealing with this prejudice impacted me and how I manage conflict today. It helped me develop a resiliency and fortitude that forms a part of my identity. Learning how to resolve conflict is difficult. Knowing how teasing affects our self-esteem [as adoptees] helps us accept ourselves for who we are and allows for healthier relationships with others. What is self-criticism? What is self-acceptance? Do we internalize teasing? What repercussions might internalization of the effects of teasing have on our self-esteem? Teasing, identity and self-esteem are topics that are universal; they affect all human beings. Regardless of ethnicity, race, social or economic class, gender, whether we are orphans, adoptees, or have siblings, self-esteem is fundamental to who we are and what we become. Let us never forget our uniqueness as individuals. Let us embrace difference and diversity and become a society characterized by acceptance and inclusion.

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