This post is part of a series on older child adoption in which I am applying things I learned from adopting a retired racing greyhound to hoping to adopt an older child. While there are obviously many differences, I learned a lot that can be useful in adopting an older child.

Our greyhound rescue provided us with ample information about the first few days of having the dog in our home. They strongly suggested that when the dog comes home, we walk him around the backyard first to let him do his business. Then, we walked him around the inside of our house and put him directly into a crate that was waiting for him in the family room. He spent the next couple of hours sitting in the crate watching us, being let out only to use the bathroom and get a little petting before returning to his crate.

While it might sound cruel to put a brand new dog into a crate for a couple of hours, this was the kindest thing we could have done for this dog. Being in a crate was normal for him – the only "normal" thing about a house that had weird stairs to climb and funny-feeling carpet to walk on. (We had to teach him how to climb stairs – they frightened him.) From the comfort of the familiar, he could observe the unfamiliar.

What things can you do during your child's first couple of days in your home to ease him into becoming a part of your family? I would talk with the foster parents or orphanage workers and learn all I could about the child's routine. If a child has never seen a television, I would not introduce the appliance during the first couple of days. Instead, I would play games that he used to play and do whatever I could to make the experience seem as "normal" as it can. I would learn any favorite songs (preferably in his native tongue, if applicable) and make every effort to give him as much "normalcy" as possible.

You will not have to stay in this new adjustment phase forever, although it might feel that way. Even just a couple of days of helping the child bridge the gap from old to new can help the child feel more secure about his new surroundings. The fact that you took the time to find out what would make him more comfortable and did the best you could to help ease his transition will communicate your love for your child.

Related Blogs:

• Older Child Adoption blog


• International Adoption blog