Attachment

I know I mentioned in previous posts several times that Peri was scared of us, and that she was really sad when the caretakers would hand her over to me.  It may sound strange, but that actually makes me really happy.  One of the many many things you worry about with children adopted from an orphanage setting is "attachment disorder".  From what I understand based on the training I took and my own research, is that your brain actually form neural pathways when you are a baby -- those are the pathways used to developing trust and attachment to people.  There is a window somewhere between 6 months and 3 years when these form.  Babies who have trauma, abuse or neglect, and sometimes babies who don't have consistent caretakers -- they don't form these pathways, and that can cause various problems for the rest of their lives -- inability to form trusting relationships, and in really severe cases -- those are the horrible stories you hear about kids who hurt animals, or even cause damage or hurt their adoptive families etc.  Obviously, there is a lot of help available, and a lot of info out there -- but that was something I was really concerned about.
All the research I've done said -- if you kid is upset when you take her out of the orphanage -- and screams the first several days .... that's a great sign.  That means she cares, and formed attachments to her caregivers etc., and she has the capacity to do so -- which means that she'll be able to transfer those to her new family.  But, beware of the child who doesn't seem to be phased that a stranger is holding her, or is inappropriately friendly with strangers -- so I am glad that she had such a healthy reaction to a complete stranger who looked, smelled and sounded different than anyone else  - holding her.