Week 3

Vasha Singh – Week Three

Shura gathered her kids together and made the long trip back to India when Vasha was 8 months old. Vasha spent the next two years in the caring arms of her extended family, and her mother was able to grieve.  Vasha was now almost 3 years old, and she was, by all accounts, a happy, healthy little girl. She was speaking Hindi with ease, and her mother and relatives were amazed at her ability to pick up new words and her ability with language in general.  Life seemed to be going well in India, and Shura did not know whether she would return to the United States. Then news came that her oldest had been admitted to a prestigious university in the U.S. It seemed like a good time to return to the U.S. after all. After saying goodbye to her extended family, Shura once again made the long trip across the ocean.   

* What are the major developmental milestones for a 32-month old child?

* What challenges might Vasha encounter as she returns to the United States? How easy do you think it will be for Vasha to learn English after having been exposed to Hindi exclusively? You should find information regarding language acquisition in children of this age.

* What else is important for you to know about Vasha’s family at this point? (Hint: Think about all that you don’t currently know about the family that could be helpful for you with regard to demographic information.)un

Week 2

Vasha Singh – Week Two

Vasha came into the world as the 10^th child in a busy family. Her birth was what Shura expected, and Vasha was generally a “good” baby, as her brothers and sisters had been. At 6 months of age, Vasha was a healthy baby, eating well and growing quickly. All was going just as Shura had expected until one morning in April – she still remembers it. She was standing at the kitchen sink when she got the call. Arup had had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital. Shura dropped everything, picked up Vasha and the other 2 children at home and rushed to the hospital. By the time she arrived, it was too late. Arup had died minutes before she arrived.    

* Write a narrative appropriate to the rest of the children in the family regarding how they should be introduced to new sister (though Vasha is 6 months of age, this would have taken place when Vasha came home from the hospital). What might the other children expect in terms of mom’s time and energy?  

* What should Shura expect at this point in terms of Vasha’s major developmental milestones? What should a 6-month old be doing?

* What are the mental health risks for Shura given the death of her husband?  Are there culture-specific ways of grieving that Shura might access?  What wonderings do you have about other resources Shura might draw upon at this difficult time? How might Shura’s suffering and grief affect Vasha at this point in her development?

DECISION POINT

 

* Does Shura return to India?

For the first post, each group will learn some information about each person’s family of origin. This should aid each group in beginning to imagine their respective adoptee. While some of the information may at first appear to be unrelated to our subject of study, life-span issues for individuals with disabilities, fear not. It will all make sense as we move through the semester. 

Vasha Singh – Week One

Arup and Shura Singh had a large family. They both came from large families, but theirs was particularly big: 9 children and counting, the oldest in college and the youngest on the way. Arup owned a construction company in a large suburb of a major city, and the family was doing well. They traveled several times a year back to their country of origin, India, to a beautiful town south of Delhi. The Singhs prepared to welcome a new child into their home. Shura wondered if this might be the last one – her mother had stopped at 10, so she might as well.

     

What is the affect of birth order on family dynamics?

Is it unusual for a family whose country of origin is India to have such a large family? (Hint: Look at demographic information regarding ethnicity and family size)