(The children pictured below are of a similar age but they already have families to love them. We are running this child's bio again, as he is still waiting for a family. We hear he is a wonderful child!)

I am a good little boy who really tries hard to follow the rules and follow directions. My teacher says I don't always sit as well as I should, but she says I'm smart and that I learn quickly and really well. She says that my language skills and memory are really good too. She's proud of me and says that she always knew that I could be a good boy and a good student. I never hurt anyone, I try to be a good friend to everyone, I love to show affection, I give good hugs and like getting them too. I have lots of friends here and even though my room mother shakes her head at me quite a bit, she really loves me. She also says that I'm a good boy most of the time. My American Aunty says that being good most of the time is pretty much what is expected for a child my age. Everyone here tells Aunty that I'm joyful, playful and talkative (in class too much I guess).

So, what's the problem here? There isn't problem if you ask me. Yes, I'm small for my age. I'm nine now (I just had a birthday) but I'm smaller than most children my age. Yes, I have a heart problem (ASD-Atrial Septal Defect, for info, here's a place to start: http://www.chdinfo.com/chdartic les/asd1.htm and that might be why I'm smaller. Maybe I'll need surgery some day and maybe I won't, no one knows right now. Yes, my reputation here as a “naughty boy” is hard to live down, but I'm trying. It's even harder because when someone talks about my being a “naughty boy”, they seem to think it's funny. Everyone smiles at me and they shake their heads when they say it. It took me a long time to realize that it wasn't really good to be known as “naughty boy”.

So here's the story. When I was little and I mean like a tiny baby, I was taken to an orphanage very far away from where I live now. My family wasn't able to take care of me and I had this heart problem. OK, so the people who then took care of me were really kind and they loved me. They also worried a lot about me and they didn't like to say ‘no' to me about too many things. I guess that meant that I could do or have what I wanted. That's a good thing, right? Life was good but I don't really remember a lot more about things there except that I was happy. One day, I was moved to another orphanage, the one I'm at now, and the people here are nice too. They had many many more children and it seemed that all of those children were expected to listen and follow directions. The people here thought that I should do that too. I tried, I really really did but I just kept forgetting to listen some of the time.

Aunty says that I enthusiastically (a big word) put all of myself into everything I did, when I first came. When she called children over to her, most of the children just walked over but I ran “just like a bull in a china shop” (what is a china shop?). A couple of times Aunty wasn't watching real well and I almost knocked her over. From that time on she learned to watch for me….she learns well too. The other thing was that I hated to sit still; after all, no one had ever really asked me to do that or expected that I should need to. When I started classes, that sitting in one place thing was just impossible for me. My teacher understood and I didn't get in trouble, but it drove Aunty crazy. When she asked the teacher about this, my teacher said that when I was ready to settle down, I would. My teacher was smart. I do sit down much better now and I listen and I learn. I guess I've just grown up over the last few years. So, why do I wait? Doesn't someone want a little boy who loves life? Doesn't someone want a little boy who wants the love of a family? I'm cute, I'm very funny, I have the best smile ever and I love to make people happy. I help people whenever they ask and I can play with Legos for hours. Do you need a son, because I need a parent(s)? Do you need someone to love life with, I do?!

Teri L. Bell, LSW, MA

Special Needs Coordinator

http://aiaaadopt.org

Americans for International Aid and Adoption



Inquiries should go to: info@aiaaadopt.org or 248 362-1207

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