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Family Forum: Chronological v. Developmental Age
January 5 at 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm EST
Family Forums are held on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month, and are intended to be a time of education, constructive dialogue, and support. Additionally, lunchtime forums are hosted at least once a month.
Chronological vs. Developmental Age
At some point or another, we’ve all wanted to say to someone, “Oh come on, act your age!” Chronological age is, quite literally, the age someone is based on their date of birth. Someone born in 1977 is chronologically 45 or 46 years old. But developmental age is quite different – and it can be particularly confusing for families with adopted children.
Children whose early years have been significantly impacted by trauma may act younger than their chronological age. Drawing on personal and professional experience and recent research, we’ll spend time discussing how trauma can impact a child’s development – and thus their developmental and emotional age. From a practical perspective, we’ll explore ways that adoptive parents can tailor their parenting expectations to meet their children where they are emotionally.
All Recommended families will receive an email inviting them to register for upcoming Forums. If you are Recommended and have not received an email invitation, please contact us at iap@fireflyIN.org. If you are not Recommended with Indiana Adoption Program, but are a licensed foster parent, have recently adopted, or are in the process of finalizing an adoption and would like to participate, please email your request to your local adoption consultant.