Sunday, June 11, 2006

Fairness.... and the Best Interest of the Child (?)

So, I sit here today thinking about that phrase. "In the best interest of the child". What exactly does that mean? Does that mean really that hiding a childs roots is in their best interest? Is hiding their medical record in their best interest? Is trying to tell your child to stop looking, or to stop speaking once they have found, in their best interest? I say an un qualified no. NO, NO, and NO! Once you are found your whole life changes, or once you find. NOTHING is the same anymore. You can't hide from the pain of what happened in your past. You can't pretend anymore that it didn't happen, that everything is just all wonderful and rosey and FINE( well it is fine if you mean Fucked up, insecure, neurotic and emotionally unstable) Because it isn't fine, it isn't ok. It bring back so many things.

For instance, how I got morphine when I was in labor (even tho in the 80's that really wasn't done for fear of hurting the baby) of for instance, the look on my mom's face when she saw K for the first time.

Or for instance, how I kicked that smug faced bitch out of my room and asked for my mother to sit with me instead. (As it should be right?) I didn't see her again til I had to sign.. And even then I hated the way she looked at me..

The last year has been a huge eye opener for me. I get it finally, I do need help dealing with all of this. I am getting it. You would think that if I , a stubborn dyed in the wool republican can understand that therapy is healing (even when you have done it before you still need it again for shit like this) that others would understand it. Therapy is good, it is hard work, but it is good for you. You look at you from someone else's pov. See yourself in another mirror so to speak, and figure out that yeah, you have ISSUES (again sigh) that trying to deal alone is not so good. No says that anyone else has to deal with their stuff this way, but you know what is the harm in trying to deal with your issues in therapy? (Note I am not saying that others need or have to do it, but that it can be helpful even if you think you don't need it)

Over all the years and all the bullshit I have been through, all the therapy I did for all of that, I still need an outsider to help me understand and deal with this adoption stuff. Reality is never what it seems and hindsight is always 20/20 I know that. I get that. But you know when it is all happening, you don't see anything but what they put in front of you. All those pretty lies, about how it is win/win for everyone involved. Because as far as I can see the only ones who really got the prize are the adoptive parents. Yes, our children may have had good homes, nice things etc, but hey they also got, trauma, pain, and all sorts of other things to go along with all of the so called "good things" I personally, well suffice it to say, I didn't win the Kewpie Doll at the fair either. Pain, torment, anguish, despair, horrible self guilt, and denial of my own pain are but a few things I did win. Lovely little list isn't it?

Now a year has come and gone and my child is like a piece in a game. (Not my game I assure you) Told that she shouldn't do this or that, think this or that, be here or there, among probably myriad other things. I don't know much more than that little bit, nor do I ask. It is not my place, nor my right to know those things. What worries me is this, pain, a child of mine is in pain, for reasons that I cannot comprehend. Pain that is being inflicted on her. I hate this with a passion. I think to myself. IN the best interest of the child? How is what you are doing in this "child's" (adult mind you, not really a child at all) best interest? Why not act like an adult? Do some work and figure out what it is exactly that bothers you so much that this has to go on? Some reading maybe, or at least a little research into what reunion is all about. For all parties involved. I am not staking a claim to my child's success's, her successes are her own. I don't claim to be responsible for anything except her genetics, and some of her traits. She has half my DNA so yeah I get credit for that. Why am I such a threat? I get credit for having given birth to her, I get credit for her green eyes too. (Mine are green) Do I Get credit for her upbringing? Nope, nor do I get credit for doing what parents do when a child is growing up. How could I? I wasn't there, it wasn't me spending the money or going to the Dr etc. But yeah I get credit for some of who and what she is simply because of genetics. And if you don't like it, to friggin bad. I do get credit for some things, you may hate it but I do.

Well now that I got that off my chest.. Off to work I go.. more management stuff to learn. (Yep got promoted yay go me)

5 comments:

HeatherRainbow said...

(((Mary)))

I don't get it. I don't understand how people can feel so ultimately insecure about us moms. Us Moms, who were denied our children, who were totally disempowered, totally wrecked, totally squashed. Why be afraid of US?

In terms of therapy... I hear ya. I know, deep down, I could use a little extra help, but I'm just not very good at finding the 'right' person. Shit, these people went through a million years of school, I don't want to be their teacher for adoption issues. If they don't get it, then I don't want to spend MY money to teach them. So, yeah, haven't found one yet, but I'm open to finding one. LOL

Unknown said...

Heather I'm with you on the teaching them about adoption issues.. Not spending money to do that. DO the work Joe tells us, and so yeah they should do the work as well..

I don't get it either. It's like they have this self fulfilling prophecy. Oh no she's back, I have nothing now.. WTF?

Third Mom said...

I think the fear stems from a combination of things - fear that they will lose the child, or the child's love, fear or intrusion by the first family, fear that their life as they know it will change.

So perhaps these are at least understandable. But what isn't understandable to me is the pure "wrongness" of putting an adopted person in the position of having to choose between one family and the other. This is where adoptive parents need a lot of education, but sadly, the adoption agencies aren't providing it - or if they are, it's not always sinking in.

This is the first time I've visited your blog - thanks for the frank thoughts, hope to read more.

Margie

Unknown said...

Margie, I have read your blog off and on having found you through other moms like Claud, Kim and Suz. Thanks for the input, it really does dumbfound me that this has to be such a huge issue. I am not a threat. I live over 900 miles away! I just want my daughter to be part of my family, not to intrude on her family. Keep reading and feel free to add me to your links.
Mary

Unknown said...

Kim kim, I honestly try not to let that bother me so much anymore. Getting back into therapy has done wonders for me. Honestly I don't know why I waited so damn long to go back to it. Hope you are well my dear!
Mary