Thirteen girls from Russia and China and their parents spent a fun afternoon talking about adoption and learning some powerful tools for handling questions from adults and peers. The W.I.S.E. Up curriculum, developed by the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.), is a training for young adoptees and their parents to build self-esteem and learn how to talk about adoption issues. It models interacting with peers and adults, explores issues of privacy and respect and teaches tools for empowering kids to choose to talk, share, educate or keep private their personal experience and respond to questions about adoption. Beyond the simple formula for responding to questions:

for several of the young people present, it was a powerful chance to talk with other adoptees, like themselves, about adoption. They shared many common feelings and experiences and felt safe and supported in the process.