Autobiography questions

I thought some of our family and friends might be interested in the questions contained in the lengthy autobiography Brock and I have to each complete. I'm not sure either of us wish to share all of our personal answers, but here are the questions:

ADOPTION

1. What are your motivations for adoption?

2. What kind of child do you hope to adopt (age, gender, handicap, racial background, etc.)?

3. If applicable, what is your reason(s) for wanting to adopt from a particular country?

4. Who initiated the idea of adoption and why? What is the length of time you have considered adoption?

5. What do you understand about the risks and responsibilities you would be undertaking?

6. How do you plan to help your child understand about her background, country, culture and the reasons she was placed for adoption?

7. What abilities and experiences have you had to help you cope with your child's adjustment throughout early and later years, including teenage years, dating and marriage?

8. What experiences have you had with people of different backgrounds?

9. What kind of relationship do you expect to have with your adopted child and how comfortable do you think you will be in relating to your child and why?

10. Can you accept meaningful relationships that the child might have developed from the past...including the relationships with her biological family?

11. How do you feel you would cope with a child if she does not respond to, nor return, affection?

12. Can you accept a child different in looks, skin tone and personality from yourself? What about special physical, educational and talent development?

13. What is the attitude regarding a foreign adopted child in your neighborhood?

14. Are you aware of the problems your child might encounter educationally, socially and emotionally at school or out in the community, and how can you foresee helping your child with these problems?

15. If your child does not speak English, how do you plan to communicate?

16. When you do have difficult situations arise, do you have people to share problems with, and where will you seek help if necessary?

17. Do you have any involvement with an adoptive parents' group?

18. How open are extended family members to your adoption of a foreign child?

19. Has your child living at home been exposed to children from other cultures and who look or behave differently from your family? Please give examples

20. Does your child accept the idea of having a sibling who looks or acts differently from them?

21. Is your child willing to share parents and possessions with a new child?

ADOPTIVE PARENT BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Your full name:
Date of birth:
Weight:
Height:
Eye color:
Hair color:
Complexion:

Your father's full name:
Your father's age:
Your father's ethnic descent:
Your father's occupation/career:
Your father's health:
If deceased, please list date and cause of death:

Your mother's full name:
Your mother's age:
Your mother's ethnic descent:
Your mother's occupation/career:
Your mother's health:
If deceased, please list date and cause of death:

Where do your parents live now?

Please list your siblings in chronological order (Name, Date of birth, Number of children, Name of spouse):

Where do your siblings live now?

How often do you see your immediate family?

What are your parents' daily activities/hobbies?

CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES

1. What were your feelings toward your parents as you grew up?

2. Describe your relationship with your siblings as you grew up?

3. What was it like growing up in your family? How was discipline handled? Where did you live?

4. Discuss any special childhood and adolescent memories, including difficulties and days your family faced, plus the religious training you received.

5. Describe the frequency and amount of use of alcohol/drugs in your parents' home when you were growing up and in your home today.

6. Describe how you see yourself.

7. Describe how others see you.

8. Discuss three of the strengths you like most in yourself.

9. Discuss three of the weaknesses you dislike most in yourself.

10. Describe, in chronological order, your educational, employment and/or military history. Include your feelings about your employment and your level of job satisfaction and stability.

11. What are your hobbies or special interests? Organizational affiliations?

12. What do you regard as your greatest personal achievement to date?

13. What do you regard as your greatest personal failure to date?

14. What are your personal goals in life?

FAMILY

1. How and when did you meet your spouse? Please list the length of dating period, length of engagement, date of present marriage and length of present marriage.

2. Describe your spouse and your relationship with your spouse.

3. Highlight the strong points of your marriage.

4. What areas would you like to see strengthened?

5. How are the responsibilities within the marriage divided, and how do you define your and your spouse's "role" in your marriage?

6. Do you feel comfortable discussing close personal feelings with your spouse? If not, why not, and how are negative feelings expressed in your marriage?

7. Describe ways your spouse is supportive of you or backs you up.

8. Describe your last fight and how you resolved it...how do you confront one another?

9. How do you make decisions individually and as a couple?

10. What recreational and leisure activities, including hobbies do you pursue with your spouse? Your entire family? Include organizational affiliations you belong to as a couple or family.

11. If applicable, what are your feelings toward your own and/or your spouse's previous marital partner, and what, if any, difficulties are these presenting to your present marriage relationship?

12. If applicable, what kind of relationship do you have with any of your children residing outside your home? Do you have any relationships with children outside your home that are not your own children?

13. What is your current relationship with your parents, siblings and in-laws?

CHILD-REARING PHILOSOPHY

1. Summarize your planned approach (or if applicable, present approach) to parenting.

2. Describe your planned (or present) approach to discipline.

3. What are your expectations for your children on a daily basis regarding chores, obedience, values, activities and responsibilities?

4. What skills do you believe you possess to parent a child?

5. What skills do you believe your spouse has to parent a child?

6. How would you describe your capacity and experiences with fairness, consistency, firmness, flexibility and humor?

7. What are you willing to do to gain parenting skills?

8. What experiences have you had with children?

9. What is your daily childcare plan? If you go out in the evening, what is your plan for childcare?

10. Describe your perception of family life with children.

11. How do you view family fun and enjoyment? What kinds of activities does this include?

FINANCIAL

1. State your present employment and annual salary. How long have you had this position?

2. Describe and name the plans of your medical, dental, and life insurance coverage.

3. Describe your financial ability to support another family member, including adoption costs, special educational, medical or counseling needs of your adopted child.

DESCRIPTION OF HOME AND NEIGHBORHOOD

1. Please list the following about your home: style, number and types of rooms, square footage, date it was built, size of lot, sleeping, playing and study quarters for adopted child, what yard is like (fenced-in, etc.)?

2. Location of home (whether city, suburb or rural) and describe the community (population, tell why it is a good community to raise a family, population and ethnic make-up, etc.)?

3. Description of neighborhood including ethnic composition of neighborhood.

4. Availability of educational, recreational and medical facilities.

5. Pets and animals in the home.

RELIGIOUS ORIENTATION

1. What is your religious preference?

2. How do you plan for your child's religious education?

3. Discuss your concept of religious living and how it affects family life.

4. What are your views regarding philosophical, ethical and spiritual values and their place in raising children.

FAMILY HEALTH (MENTAL AND PHYSICAL)

1. Do you have any past or current medical or mental health problems? Describe any counseling you have had. Do you believe these concerns will impact your ability to care for a child?

2. Are there any medical or mental problems with any children in your home?

3. What is the reason and your feelings related to childlessness?