Heritage Tours

HOPE for Children, Inc. believes that every child adopted internationally is forever connected to the country and heritage of their birth. We encourage families to foster an interest and an understanding of their children's birth country and share the experience with their child.

We are committed to providing opportunities for children and their families to stay connected to the country, culture and heritage through Heritage Tours. HOPE for Children, Inc. will be offering exciting and unique opportunities for adoptees and their families to share in culture and heritage in an environment that is supportive, understanding, and includes the adoption experience perspective.

When: TBA 

Where: TBA   

Clinical Child Psychologist Dr. Rebecca Nelson, a Korean adoptee, penned the following words regarding birth country visit:

"Parents often ask me about when might be a good time for their child to visit her birth country. I like hearing this question because it means parents are sensitively thinking about their child’s adoptive experience in a developmental context. Ideally, multiple visits across the lifespan provide a wonderful way for a family to stay connected to a child’s birth heritage. If more than one visit is doable, the first trip can be taken when the child is relatively young (4 or 5), assuming she was adopted approximately before the age of 2 and familial attachment is secure. Before the age of 6 or 7, a child is too young to have the capacity to understand the differences and similarities between biological and adoptive relationships. So, parents might want to think of this trip as providing a comfortable initial exploration of a birth culture. This birth culture will probably be rather foreign to your child, despite it being her place of birth. Having this trip be rewarding from a child’s perspective is important. It will create a lasting impression and influence whether your child wants to return when she is older, when questions about adoption and her origins will surface. This early trip can be made fun for a child by engaging in activities that celebrate her ethnic heritage and that are especially appealing for her..."