sunday's child

Brothers hope to stay together

October 25, 2009

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Hi! We are Francisco and Antoni. We love to play and have fun and we both like music a lot.

Francisco and Antoni are happy, energetic brothers who need an adoptive home where they can grow up together. They play nicely with each other and are cooperative in their foster home and at school.

Francisco is 8, a friendly and talkative boy who could win anyone over with his smile and positive energy. He is gets along with everyone and thrives with routines and structure. He repeated kindergarten and has made great gains in school (where he receives speech therapy to address language delays) and at home.

Francisco loves music, enjoys sports (he played on a baseball team this year), and loves going to the zoo.

Antoni is 5 and loves playing with his peers and with his big brother. He is a daredevil who explores new things without fear. He enjoys watching “The Three Musketeers’’ on TV, playing with toy cars, and, like his brother, listening to music. Antoni, too, is well behaved and responsive to redirection, routines, and structure.

In daycare, Antoni receives speech and occupational therapy, and has made great improvements in his cognitive and language abilities. He is able to make his wants known and answer questions.

Antoni and Francisco, who are of Puerto Rican descent, are legally free for adoption and would do best in a two-parent family with or without other children. An ideal family will be able to provide them with the love and structure they deserve. They will also need regular visitation with their siblings. Their special wish is to belong in a family where they could stay together and that would do fun things with them.

What is MAPP training?

Part of the process to adopt a child from foster care is a training course. After an initial home visit by a social worker, you may be invited to attend the Massachusetts Approach to Partnerships in Parenting (MAPP) training. The 32-hour MAPP course is typically held one night a week for eight weeks. It is designed to help you gain the best possible understanding of, and preparation for, parenting an adopted child.

MAPP training includes information about the needs of children who are waiting to be adopted and what behaviors they might exhibit. It teaches communication, positive discipline, and self-esteem-building techniques. It also discusses the resources and supports available to adoptive families. A couple considering adoption should attend MAPP training together.

To learn more about Francisco and Antoni, and about adoption from foster care, call the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) at 617-54-ADOPT (617-542-3678) or visit www.mareinc.org.