I have heard two different scenarios about what happens when I go pick up Christian at the orphanage to take him to the hotel. One scenario is they hand you the child with only the clothes on their back and shoes on their feet. Ok I can understand this, items are hard to come by, so they keep the other belongings for the other children. The other scenario is they hand you the child wearing only their diaper. Now this is a bit much if you ask me. How traumatic for the child to have their clothes removed, handed to a stranger, who then puts clothes on them, carries them to a car (most have never been in a car before) and drive away.
I've decided I'm going to take a change of clothes and shoes on my court trip. I get to see him while I am there on that trip, so I'll see if they'll let me try the clothes and shoes on him to confirm size. At that time I will also ask if he comes with clothes on or if I should bring a set when I go to take him to the hotel with me. I'd hate to go there without anything and am supposed to have clothes for him. I wonder what they do if that happens??? I know it is practical, but it also seems sad to me that they take nothing familiar with them, not even a favorite shirt or toy to ease the transition. I left a stuffed toy/animal with him on the last trip. I wonder if they let him play with it or if it became someone else's. Oh well, he'll have plenty of his own things and more love than he might be able to handle when he gets home :)
~Amy
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I tried clothes on Anna during our visits on the court trip to confirm size. I didn't leave clothes. I did leave a small toy that I never saw again but they took pictures using the disposable cameras I left of her and her groupa and she was holding it with a huge smile on her face so totally worth it.
ReplyDeleteHow it was for us....they brought her in wearing her baby home jumper thing and I changed her into the clothes I brought for her and they took the jumper back. I've also heard that they take the clothes from you and they change them and hand them to you in the clothes you brought that day. I'm guessing you will a snow suit to change him into as well? Or snow jacket, hat and boots as they like them bundled up and won't let you take him outside otherwise.
While it is sad that they don't get to keep anything famililar, I'm not sure they had anything anyway to call their own....no same blankie or stuffie, so Anna LOVED the stuffies we brought for her and cuddled with them at night.
Amy, yes you should definately bring clothes on this trip to judge the sizing along with shoes. On the last trip, DEFINATELY bring clothes to pick him up in. We brought our clothes and Avas caretakers changed her into them, it was easier for her that way I think. Also, make sure you have Cold weather gear for him, jacket, snow pants, boots, hat, gloves and a scarf. They are very, very particular about this. Good Luck. Sally
ReplyDeleteYou might want to try to exchange little things that he was used to for newly bought items. We were able to get our son's comb, a cup and a jumper, all in exchange for the same but new. This way he had some familiar objects. The jumper was great because it had the smell of the soap that was familiar to him. He had it in his bed the first couple of nights and it seemed to comfort him.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, we, too, broght clothes for him, the caretaker undressed him, but left the diaper on, and the I dressed him into our clothes. That was kind of a neat procedure and definately needs to be documented (pictures).
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