How old was Claire Patterson when she adopted her son?

Last week, when I read the story of Claire Patterson, the single mum who handed back to social services the little boy she’d adopted at the age of 18 months, my heart lurched. Oh, how I recognised this story.

How old are Meghan Markle’s two youngest children?

We enjoyed a blissfully happy four years with him before taking on our two youngest children, Louise and Marion, at the ages of two-and-a-half and 18 months old respectively. Meg and her husband Robert were unable to have children themselves and so decided to adopt, they adopted son, Euan, aged four months and Louise (pictured) and Marion

Why do I Wish I had given back my adopted daughter?

Oh, how I recognised this story. Before taking him, Claire was told the boy had a ‘mild developmental delay’ — not uncommon in children who have spent time in care. Yet she quickly discovered that his problems were a lot more serious, and after suffering 36 seizures in a single day, the child was belatedly diagnosed with brain damage.

Is it bad that my Daughter is attached to her dad?

First of all, you’ve had a tough start and shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. Second, please don’t think it is “bad” or “worse” that your daughter is so attached to her dad; when a child has a strong, positive bond with a parent, everyone benefits.

How old was I when my father died?

Each stage of your journey will be completely different, and as you wander through your grief, emotions will come and go. It’s been nearly 11 years since my father died (I was 18 when it happened), so I think I can safely say I’ve been through it all; the shock, the sadness, the anger, the guilt, and, eventually, the acceptance.

How long did I stay at home with my daughter?

I stayed at home with my daughter until she was 4 and a half months, when she started day care. My husband was always very involved and she spent quite a lot of time with him as well and it was great seeing them bonding so well.

What do you need to know about losing a parent?

Confronting and accepting that the pain is there is scary, but you need to do it to start the grieving process. When my father died, I tried so hard to be strong for my mum and little sister, and show everybody how resilient and tough I was. But just remember you can only put on an act for so long.