Anyone attend a match party?

nadiyahl

If you attended a match party?  How was it?  Was it successful? 

jacksjerseygirl

Deleted - misunderstood what a match party was

nadiyahl

Match parties are where picnics are held with children waiting to be adopted and a number of families coming to meet them. 

jacksjerseygirl

nadiyahl:

Match parties are where picnics are held with children waiting to be adopted and a number of families coming to meet them. 

Oh, I have heard of this but hadn't heard them called 'match parties'. Thanks for the clarification - it sounded like a party that happens after a match between e-moms and p-aps is made.

I know of a family here who adopted a child from Russia (I believe) that came over as part of an orphanage exchange program. A get to know the children picnic happened here at a local park. People came and got to know the children - if you felt inclined you could be considered for a child but a match was not guaranteed (therefore they didn't call it a 'match' party).

My understand was that the children then went back to their home country and the adoption proceedings could begin as it normally would.

I also know a family that is hosting children from the program while they stay for a couple of weeks here in the states.

 

thebratbride

Our agency had one the same day we had one of our Pride classes.  We could not attend as we were not done the training. 

I don't know if I would be able to go to one- I would want to load all the kids in my car and take them home with me!  I wonder how it is presented to the kids, do they know it is a matching party?  I woud think they would be nervous.  And how would they take not getting matched with a family or if the match fell through? 

Mrs.R2D2

fredalina:

i believe the children are told that some nice people in the community want to throw a picnic for them.  Of course i'm guessing some of the more astute ones figure it out (especially if it's not their first trip around that block), so there are probably rumors.

This is my thought too... kids aren't dumb.  I see match parties as either all or nothing - a wonderful miracle if it does inspire a family to adopt an older child, devastating for the kids if/when they're not chosen.