PRIDE training

No, not that PRIDE.

When you adopt in Ontario you're required to complete this unfortunately named course which teaches concepts specifically related to parenting an adopted child. PRIDE is actually an acronym: Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education. When we first began the adoption process people kept telling us how it was 'too bad because they've now made PRIDE a mandatory step'. It sounded as though this 37 hour course was going to be awful. Long, boring, common sense. We were dreading these four days of sessions.

Our experience couldn't have been further from our expectation. Throughout the sessions we touched on some really important topics specifically in the context of adoption, including loss, developmental delays (physical/mental/emotional), openness, identity building, positive adoption language, and so much more.

I don't think I can possibly say enough great things about this course, but I'm so glad that it's become mandatory. One word of advice - if you are adopting in Ontario and need to complete PRIDE training, ask around ahead of time for instructor recommendations. While this was a fantastic experience for us, we've heard from others who have had the training from other instructors who didn't feel there was as much benefit. The trainers really make all the difference, so take that in to consideration when choosing which session to join.

If you're considering adoption in the province, AdoptOntario has some great information regarding the basic principles and when the sessions are offered in your area.

I'll touch back to some of the more poignant parts of the course at some points, because there's just too much to put into one post. But for those who have to go through it, I just want to stress how valuable this training is. Don't dread it! Just find a good intructor and really listen to what they're telling you. We honestly feel like we're much more prepared for what we're taking on now that we've completed this course.