The Jackson Family Profile

We would like to adopt a child between the ages of 5 and 12 inclusive.

We would like to adopt a girl.

We feel we can accommodate a sibling group of up to 1 kids.

We prefer to adopt a child of Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian or Pacific islander ethnic background.

We are open to children with certain special needs.

We do not mind having contact with the child\'s biological parents (by email or by phone or by mail or in person ) provided the parent was/is not abusive to the child.

We do not mind having continuing contact with the child's former foster parents, by email or by phone or by mail or in person .

In general, We would like a girl with "tom boy" tendencies and an outgoing personality. An interest in sports or physical activities would be a good fit. They should also like and get along with pets as we will always likely have dogs in the family.

Introduction

Our names are Gary and Laura Jackson.

I am currently 54 years old. My partner is currently 38 years old.

We do not yet have any children at home.

Gary is actively involved in physical fitness activities, primarily cross training workouts. He is a black belt in Soo Bahk Do karate, a skill he would love to share with a child if they have an interest. He is also a volunteer Paramedic with the local emergency medical service.

Laura does Zumba and works in the various gardens in our yard.

Gary and Laura are both certified therapy dog handlers and work with our therapy dog in local nursing homes and through our local Hospice. We also work every year at a grief camp for young children through the hospice. Through that experience we have had specialized training and experience working with children who have had significant losses in their lives through death of someone close to them.

Our favorite vacation spot is Disney World. We are looking forward to returning with a little one to experience it through their eyes.

I work full-time for City of Vandalia Ohio as a Police Sergeant and have a somewhat flexible work schedule.

My partner works full-time for ITW as a Technical Report Writer .

We are both Christians, born and raised Lutheran. We are currently "between churches" but go to church every Sunday. We are actively looking for a church with a good children's program as we feel an early Christan education is important in a child's life and that church services are something a child should look forward to, not be dragged to.

We both enjoy action/adventure TV and movies. We follow the local pro teams (Cincinnati Reds and Bengals) and semi-regularly attend games at the local semi-pro baseball stadium. We don't have a strong music preference and can "tolerate" just about anything as long as the volume is reasonable.

We spend time caring for and playing with our two dogs (both Lab mixes around 60 pounds). We also do yard work, household chores, and on going projects around the house. We have a big screen TV and various gaming systems. We do have free time that we would love to devote to "kid activities".

Home and Community

We live in the State of Ohio. Our home is a single family home. We live in a Suburban neighborhood. We are good friends with our neighbors. We have one or more dogs .

We are pretty open in this area. We do not have any younger kids at this time but have time to find things to do. We live within walking/biking distance of several playgrounds and parks. We have recently enjoyed trips to a large aquarium facility. We also enjoy zoos, kid friendly museums, and going to the movies. We enjoy board games and watching DVDs at home. We also enjoy cooking out on the grill as often as possible. We are open to try anything that our child would have an interest in. We are within walking distance to parks that both have playgrounds. There is an active community service organization that offers many kid classes and activities. There is a YMCA within 5 miles and we have access to the recreation center in the city where Gary works that includes an indoor pool/water play area along with other kid activities. We are within walking distance of the local public elementary and middle schools. The local schools have very effective "special education" (IEPs, etc) programs. There is also a latchkey program available through the schools.

Parenting Experience

Gary has a grown daughter from a previous marriage and a granddaughter. Laura has helped raise nieces and nephews.

We are very committed to each other. We are practicing Christians and believe that a child should have an on-going Christian education.

We are financially secure and live in a smaller community with many kid related opportunities. We are also mature adults with many life experiences that can be shared with a child. We believe the primary role of a parent (beyond providing the basics) is to prepare the child to be a responsible, functioning adult.

We both have special training through our association with our local hospice dealing with kids in crisis and helping them deal with loss. Gary also has specialized training through his police experience dealing with child sexual abuse and domestic violence situations. Gary is also a Paramedic so he can deal with medical issues including routine care for chronic issues like diabetes and asthma.

We have basic training with yearly updates through hospice on dealing with children in crisis and grief counseling. Gary has also attended seminars and in-service training in dealing with children as crime victims and emergency medial care of children.

Support

We are closely associated with the local hospice that offers programing for kids who have had losses related to deaths. There are several counseling services available locally and through the regional Children's Hospital that can handle most needs a child may have.

Gary's adult daughter is a stay at home mom and lives nearby. We also have long term trusted neighbors and have checked out the school's latchkey plan.

We are also close with family in the local area who are willing to support us any way needed.

Motivation to Adopt

We feel the primary responsibility of a parent, beyond the basic needs, is to prepare the child to be a responsible, functional adult. We have many life experiences to share with a child that we feel would lead to this goal.

We feel more confident in our skills dealing with an "older" child as opposed to an infant or toddler.

We have met many children in the foster care system through our work at the hospice camp. We see how they hunger for stability and consistency. We feel we can provide that and that adoptive parenting is the best way to get the opportunity to do so.

We feel the "match" with a prospective child should be based on more than a "check list". We would like to evaluate a child and be evaluated as a "package deal" and not be eliminated due to one box that was or wasn't checked.

We are mature, financially stable adults who we feel would be great role models for a young child and would work tirelessly to help them enjoy childhood while preparing them to become adults.