A recent email caused me to stop and think about the many opportunities I have had since being a Guide for this Adoption & Foster Care site. I've met many people through the forums here on About Adoption & Foster Care and through blogging. I have been able to interview famous people and an Olympic athlete. Through these opportunities and others, my insight and view of adoption has grown and changed. I've also been given the opportunity to show all sides of adoption.

The email that I mentioned earlier represents another side of a very well-known and tragic adoption story, the death of little Nina Hilt. The email was from her adoptive father, Christopher Hilt.

Nina, adopted from Russia, was brutally beaten to death by her adoptive mother, Peggy Hilt, in 2003. Peggy Hilt was given 25 years in prison for the murder. Mr. Hilt wants people to see Nina the way he and his oldest daughter remember her and not for the story shared by the media and his ex-wife.

After all the space and time given to the grisly details, I think this request is worth a blog. Check out the Web site created by Christopher Hilt and his oldest daughter, Nataliya.

Take a moment to remember Nina.

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Suggested Reading:
Peggy Hilt Given 25 Years
Peggy Hilt Interviewed on Women Behind Bars
Preparing to Parent the Adopted Child
Internationally Adopted Children Sometimes Suffer Same Challenges as US Children
Russian Murder Cases

Earlier today I was talking with a friend of mine who is frustrated by family and friends asking personal questions about her newly adopted daughter.

Where did she get those brown eyes, from her birth father?
She's very long legged. Was her birth mom tall?

My friend asked me how she should answer these type of questions in a way that lets people know that the discussion is not welcome.

Well, I'm really not sure how to handle it when it comes to adults asking such questions, but I do have some ideas on how kids can handle this issue in school. I'm a firm believer in the use of cover stories to stall the bullies and otherwise just plain nosy kids.

Get some ideas with your cover stories with "Teaching Foster/Adoptive Children How to Respond to Common Questions".

If you have any other ideas that have worked with your foster or adopted children please share in the comments section of the blog.

And if you have any ideas for my friend - please click "comments" and share.
How have you handled the busy bodies?