Well if you read my last entry you know that I have a problem with Steve’s bio Dad referring to himself as his real dad. This got me thinking if someone is a sperm donor does that make him a real dad? For me being a mom or a dad is a lot more than just whose ingredients are used to make the child. This comes back to the nature versus nurture thing. Basically what influences a child more their genetics or how they are raised?
Now if you did not know that the wonderful kids we have were adopted you would swear they are our biological children. Steve likes to build things like my husband does, George likes to do the same things like play guitar that my husband does and Rebecca might as well be my mini-me, she does almost everything like me. I am sure that the genetics come in play for their looks (although Rebecca is told she looks like me all the time) but does genetics control how they will behave, or their likes or dislikes?
We had attended a parenting seminar for parents of adopted children and we discussed the nature verse nurture idea and yes I think genetics have a little to do with the child’s development but as for the rest I am not so sure. Our kids enjoy the foods we like even mushrooms, they like the things we do I honestly do not know if they could be more like us if they tried. My mom always wished a little girl on me like I was and she definitely got her wish with Rebecca. One major difference is that she is so not shy. I hated being in front of cameras and she loves the spot light she will get up on stage and sing her little heart out and jumps in front of the camera every chance she gets.
Now George he is camera shy like me but I am trying to work on that. When I got cancer I realized that the kids could potentially lose me and looking through the photo albums there was not a lot of me. I am making an effort to change so maybe he will jump in front of the lens more too.