The Adoption Picnic: Kids on Display (Family Documentary) | Real Stories
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 14 ноя 2016
- The Adoption Picnic: Kids on Display (Family Documentary) | Real Stories
“You feel like you’re on display. You’ve got all these people watching you and you’re wearing this shirt that singles you out. You’re on the spot.” Lacy, 14, is an orphan, and a better description of her situation would be hard to imagine. Lacy is on the look-out for parents, and the South Mississippi ‘adoption picnic’ could be the last chance she gets to grow up within a family environment. For the first time, cameras have been allowed into the yearly picnic where prospective foster parents get to see the children in a lively, social situation. Brainchild of adoption specialist Sylvia Sessions, The Picnic invokes strong emotions in the participants, and this Witness film captures every poignant moment.
Want to watch more full-length Documentaries?
Click here: bit.ly/1GOzpIu
Follow us on Twitter for more - / realstoriesdocs
Facebook - / realstorieschannel
Instagram - @realstoriesdocs
Content licensed from Digital Rights Group (DRG). Any queries, please contact us at: owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com
Produced by October Films
As someone who has been adopted I get why people would think this is a good idea - it is abhorrent on so many levels. These kids deserve respect -- not to be treated as cattle.
I have not been adopted so I would never speak on the behalf of adopted people, but I felt exactly the same. It was disgusting and sickening and literally felt like I was watching an animal market where people could stroll around and pick the best cow ...
@@mrsfrappucchinoblub6005 especially the scene where the lady was handing around the photo! Wtf! So dehumanising
As a person who was not adopted, I have no idea how anybody would think this is a good idea. That’s very understanding of you.
I do not agree with this either. I think it is emotionally damaging and a child garage sale mentality is not appropriate care at all. The adoption websites say "married couple" or "single person who can homeschool" "must be ___ religion" alot of restrictions. How can one pay all the fees that are already high ( I am working 3 jobs to do this until I have the income requirements) plus they want several months bank statements etc. home owner insurance which means you must own a home. How can all this be obtained if single and staying home? I am not married. I feel very lost as to what to do. I have given up. I hope that these children find someone who will care for them and stay committed to them and not act like it is a temp babysitting gig because it is not. I want to adopt because no one adopted me. My parents were on drugs and I had a very hard life. Left home at 14 and made a life for myself. I work as a social worker and help people who have lost custody of their children to start over with the ultimate goal of reunification. I have also worked as a child welfare worker and find placements for children from group home to group home foster home to foster home as people pass the child around and wonder why they do not trust anyone. I wanted to be part of the solution not a observer of the problem.
You said what I was thinking.
I was adopted at age 7 from one of these picnics. Before hand I had loads of options but no one would take my two older brothers who were 9 and 10 people were turned off because they were protective and a lil intimidating and cold. But I didn’t want to be separated from my brothers. I found my forever family who took my brothers aswell I’ve never looked back!!
Bella Caden my sister and I were adopted together as well. I'm always so grateful for that. ❤
Bella Caden why was you. Adopted in the first place and stolen from your mum
She was 7. Get your heart and mind together.
I am happy for you. Need more families willing to accept sibling groups.
Nonna Caden, That's just so refreshing to hear. How wonderful there are genuine people out there! I haven't got any family ( just my teenage kids) and I'm nearly 40 ! I have a blood mother that lives only 10 minutes away and she doesn't and hasn't ever cared about me and my son. And she must of been bad as he would rather go stay with a stranger than his grandmother if I ever got terminaly ill etc! this video Just goes to show, " blood and DNA has NOTHING to do with being a part of a family" Well done to all of you that love others ,, its the most precious gift from Jesus. Bless you all
Michael had such sad eyes. They described him as shy but he seems so hurt by life. I wish I could give him a warm hug🥺 I hope he found a good family who can show him love and compassion
He looked like he was gonna cry
That song on where the kids are on display, was litteraly mocking their lives “no one to hold them at night” some of them were holding back tears
I hate the way they talk about these kids like they're choosing a car or a house. These are human beings you're talking about.
agree, they talk like they are some toys. I hope when I am older I can change one kid's life forever, make him/her happy :))
Vi Haze i agree ☝️ these peeps dis these children 👶 like their are a tossed away outcast
They're opening their Home to a child, they're committing to love them and be there for them for the rest of their lives.
They can't just take them all, they need to make sure the child is right for their home otherwise the consequences are catastrophic for the child as well as them.
Vi Haze be helpful in life
Vi Haze I feel sorry for them and I agree
I work with kids from troubled backgrounds this picnic was like a meat market getting them to line up to a sad song about how unloved they were, forcing the children to interact with adults who are complete strangers, the only bright spot was seeing Chris/Shedrick’s foster family decide to keep him rather than subject him to another picnic.
Jeffrey's adoptive father is adorable, he was so excited to meet him and immediately felt so responsible for him; such a natural dad
And the mother too...
My daughter is in her forties now and my husband and I adopted her when she was twelve. Yes she was damaged but her past and she acted out. We didn’t know that we could cope at times but we did and have been blessed with three grandchildren all well adjusted. Our daughter is beautiful and caring.
So happy to know that these children gpt a chance to live well. Thanks for sharing.
You did a great job raising her. Thank you for giving a child a home ❤
Calling someone damaged makes me uncomfortable.
God bless you ❤️
This comment right here is called deflection. No one is calling into question you as a parent. This is about a problematic event that actually further victimizes these children!!
As an adoptive parent myself I would like to say this made me sick. Put yourself in the shoes of the children who didn't get a family on that day and how many times do those dear kids have to go through "The Picnic" and feel rejected at the end of it. I do hope those parents had to go through the training to help them parent children with traumatic backgrounds. These children have lost their first families and sometimes love alone isn't enough. Im sorry but these are children not grocery store items that you "pick and choose" which ones you like.
I see the problems you're talking about, but I can also understand how adoptive parents want to interact with a variety of children so they get a child who will fit best in their household.
There has to be some sort of 'selection process' involved, this is more realistic than looking at pictures and write ups in a folder to decide on which children fit a family's criteria.
Prospective adoptive parents lose all objectivity when they are encouraged to fall in love with or have an emotional reaction by being introduced to the child in person. If you look at statistics, a lot of these kids get sent back.
In no way is this OK for the children involved. The grown ups mean well, but this is all kinds of wrong! Poor kids.
@ Janet Redman Sadly its not much different then the adoption trains 100 yrs ago. I watched and thought how sad it was to see those children on the stage like slaves or meat. You think we would have gotten right by now
Oh man, I could never go to this picnic. I'd try to adopt all of them.
I aggre
Same.
It's better to take a few then taking none.
Me too!!!!
Oh yeah! I would find it too hard to choose just one or two
As a foster parent myself. This literally made me cry! Especially for Chris!!! How could you have this child for 4 years and not have an attachment to him
I am in tears 😭 over this. I was adopted at 8 months old from Africa and was raised by white people in Europe. My adoptive mother was adopted herself
I got food , shelter and something to wear.
I got an opportunity for a better life than if I had stayed in SA. But it was not a good childhood, she got a child of her own when I was almost 9 years old and that was the end of my happy world... I became the xtra ... there was no need for me as her child anymore and she began to resent me.
She got divorced from my adopted deadbeat father when I was 2 he couldn’t be bothered with me at all until I became 15-16 years old when I became a young beautiful woman he could show me off to his drunken friends
All my life I have been showed off like an animal in a zoo
“Look what I got, saved her look at my girl “ disgusting
I am resentful and angry 😡I was a child no matter color just a child
Everyone wanted to touch my face my hair ...
I am soon to be 43 years old and I still bear the scars of being the only black child in a school of 500 kids back then .
Well after my rant here I wanna say that I appreciate the opportunity for me to be in Europe, and even though I didn’t get the love a child needs I had great grandparents, thank god for my grandma god love her r.i.p
Because of her love I grew and I am now the mother I needed.
Got 5 kids love them with no boundaries and I live for them everyday. I hope people will start to understand that these are not pets but human beings please please please if you can’t love them really love them please let them be
Thank you 🙏 ❤️
Do you think you would have been happy if you had been raised by at least one properly loving parent even if you had still grown up in Europe and still have been different?
I know exactly how you feel ❤ I feel like there's an instant sisterhood amongst those of us that experienced the system 😢
The children shown her are between 20-30 years old today. I hope they are leading happy and healthy lifestyle.
I wonder how many of them are dead today?
Geez Debbie
Way older than that. 1998? That 14 year old is pushing 40. My son is 24 and born Dec 1997.
Five minutes in and I've already heard the biggest reason adoptions of older children often fail. "No one will know anything about his past." Adoptive parents should know everything about a child's past. Most of them will still adopt, and they will have a better understanding of the child's needs.
Liz Tukenmez they attended the picnic with no information about their past but upon the adoption process they are handed all the information they require...its then up to the potential adoptive parents to say yay or nay to the adoption of said child
Your out of your mind completely out of your mind. My aunt is a social worker, 2 close family friends are social workers. The minute you show them a picture and all their issues they say I'm doing international adoption. Some times its hard, drug babies born addicted are never quite right. A 4 year old who wants to play with his privates and all of the other childrens privates. The one that like to get up in the middle of the night and turn the oven on and start a fire by putting things in it. The list goes on and on. You have no ideal unless you live it.
Most of the time when people adopt they fill out a sheet stating what they are comfortable with in the child’s past and not. Drugs use, sexual abuse, developmental delays. You’d be amazed at what people don’t feel comfortable with
If they know their past they are not about meeting their needs. Which is why people go out of the country to adopt. In America it's usually drugs, alcohol, physical abuse, sexual abuse. Years ago it was mostly women who got pregnant as a teen and couldn't keep the baby. That's not the case now. A lot of them are born addicted and it's not noted but as they get older it comes out in their behavior.
I was bounced around from foster homes to relatives, then adopted out of foster care as a teenager. I think the picnics are good for the perspective parents, but it puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the kids. The parents get to meet the children and instinctively know if you feel that special connection with them. Most of the kids looked so terrified. It broke my heart and brought back so many memories of being told, "People only want a baby. No one wants a teenager."
My husband and I are foster parents now. We have been hesitant to take in a teenager. But after seeing this documentary, I would have adopted one of the teenage children at the adoption picnic.
Just found out Lacy made it! She is actually working in the production filming industry since 2013!
LACY CULPEPPER can be found and the Production Hub website and she looks just the same.
I'm kindly relief to know she seems to have made well
Holy Toledo, Michael. When he met that first family and could hardly keep it together. He's the same age as my oldest. I was just like, "COME INTO THESE ARMS, CHILD. I will love you every day of your life." But no one chose him. NO ONE CHOSE HIM. I can't even.
I just started crying so hard when the Cooley family decided to keep Chris! Way to go, family! You rock! I guess I should call him Shedrick! Xx
The what family? You disrespect!
@@kash108 Cooley was their last name if you watched the video.
Same! I cried of happiness too!!
Ikr! I was like give me this kid I’ll love him !
@@kash108 are u stupid or just slow? Curious which one. Maybe particularly both apply plus more .
As an adopted child myself, I really can't convince myself it's good to put children on display...
Jeffery’s dad seems so perfect for him. He seems so caring and fun
This was filmed in 1998 (some 22 years ago). The kids are now adults, some of very similar age to myself. Would be interesting to know where they are now. Hope they are living happy lives.
thanks for the film year
98 really? seems so much older than that
I’m wonder if it’s taking place in Mississippi has any validity or lens to the story?
My heart breaks, those children all looked petrified.
I feel petrified for the children. The unknowns of this prospect has to be terrifying. The song the lady is singing at the picnic makes me want to unplug her damn mic. ugh!!
The father who adopted Jeffrey was just a lovely thing. "His band-aid fell off." He seemed so worried for him right off the bat.
He was so endearing! Reminds me of my dear, late husband who was a guy's guy, and a wonderful, nurturing, kid magnet.
Yes! Loved this guy. He seems so warm and loving and sincere.
Sadly it didnt grow into a loving forever relationship ..Jeffery was not able to trust to bond to be loved😥
@@tleemf6923 how do you know?
That guy was a little too endearing in my opinion. He was way to excited when he was around Jeffrey. So sad. His wife even told him to calm down. Very sad
Jeffery was adorable. And his new parents seam like such great people. You can tell they loved that kid so much from the moment they met him. Their eyes lit right up!
Former foster mom here. Part of me is supportive of anything that increases the chances of adoption. The other part of me is cringing at the woman gushing about a boy as if he were a puppy. I just don't know what to think about the picnics.
I found the gushing and such very strange. I have 3 children and another one on the way. I love my kids like crazy, but I found how these people were acting very strange and kind of predator like.
Same.
When my family was going to support a child from Tanzania in his schooling, I straight up asked the ambassador who SHE recommended needed help the most, and he was the one she chose with no hesitation. I feel the same about these 'picnics.' Like, who needs help most? Who has been waiting the longest?
@@Lola-cy4xq Yeah, I thought the same thing - it is an obtuse situation all around because it is more going off of aesthetic and that alone can come off predatorial. It should be more contingent on need - but I do think though the adopters should have agency to be selective, perhaps not at a picnic. It seemed like more of the women were reading the room/social worker who was overjoyed when she was showing off photos. Also, I wonder to what percent the picnics were more successful than a regular one-to-one meet and greet?
The picnic is such a bad idea in and of itself but they made it even worse by displaying those poor kids on stage, making them stand out as a foster kid with those shirts, and telling them they might meet their new parents. The picnic should have been for foster kids to meet other foster kids. The perspective parents should have been volunteers with volunteer shirts. Also the kids should have the right not to attend if they don't want to. The way this was handled makes it feel like human trafficking.
I'm glad "Shedrick's" foster family decided to keep him.
I get weird vibes from Laceys adoptive parents...she says shes happier than shes ever been but she appears miserable. Its like she was trying to convince herself she was happy..I hope it all worked out for her
Alouette22 maybe she's just nervous in front of the cameras and I agree about the parents
but she wasn't nervous in earlier interviews, that's what makes me think its not as great as she wants us to believe it is
The adoptive mom lost me at, "We heard she was a good Christian girl.".
Chastity Creamer
exactly. Very creepy the way she said that too
+Chastity Creamer when in the video do they say that? That;s messed up.
So happy they decided to keep Chris in the family. After 4 years how coUld you let him go. I couldn't. Blessed be Chris has a forever home with real parents.
The family that chose to keep him later on the mother told him he had to becouse of his sexual preference so he ran away and he’s doing well with her bf.
@@fernandocortez667 what?
I love Lacey. She reminds me of my self at that age, in foster care. I know how completely alone she feels. I wish I could adopt her. I pray she is doing well in life, and has found her forever family. ❤️❤️
❤❤❤
God bless you as well
That song being sung while the Children are right there, is so inappropriate. How do you think they feel after hearing that?
I know right? It is hurtful, God watches over everybody
Yeah this was the strangest picnic ever.
Why is everyone in the comments so sensitive?
Dezi J OMG Exactly. Thank you! It's like, have some tact...
Absolutely inappropriate. Actually the whole picnic is inappropriate. Just awful. Children are not pets. They're human beings with feelings like anybody.
does anybody else see how this could be a breeding ground for predator/victim situations?!?!?!
butitssummerma I was adopted from this picnic by exactly that!
Yes, And the fact that she said no one would know about his challenges is no okay as well...
They need to gauge weather it is something they can take on...
That may be why he has been bounced around so much..
Their are couples that are willing to take on more than others...
That was my first thought.
That’s the part about adoption that doesn’t get talked about.
@@tourettehero Oh my, I am SO sorry. What happened to you? You didn't deserve that, I am sorry we failed you.
This documentary had me crying ☹️! In my drug addiction many years ago I lost custody of my children. I went to rehab and got my life together. Seeing this video makes me so sad to even think that this could of been a possibility for my girls many years ago! Drugs are killer and destroy everything and anything in their path.
I was an addict too. Drugs are from the devil. They do the devils work.
While we were waiting to adopt, we attended a few events like this. They try to make it as fun as possible for the kids, but it is still so hard and heartbreaking for them. We had kids come up to us and flat out ask us to adopt them and promised that they would be good, etc. It hurts your heart so bad. We ended up adopting 3 teenage siblings (we didn't meet them at an event). It's been the hardest thing that we have ever done in our lives, but totally worth it.
The number one lesson in being a parent, I have found, is that you cannot take anything personally. Most of the time the child is feeling an emotion that you may not be aware of...and its not about you. I hope Jeffrey's "mom" figures that out. Jeffrey will act out out of fear, mistrust, insecurity, etc and that has nothing to do with the new parents.
I don’t feel good about jeffrey
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻. Pray for all of them
My heart broke for Michael
Steph L mine too 😢
Lilly Vo let's hope it worked out for him
Steph L I actually feel like he wanted to be with a different family instead so that's why he didn't seem interested, just what I think
Steph L me too
I would have adopted Michael
As an adopted child from the middle Appalachian region I can relate to this. Granted, I was adopted by my maternal grandparents but the circumstances are the same. The couple that adopted the " good Christian girl" had an alternate reason. Alot of these families get paid to adopt these kids or social security benefits because alot of these kids are labeled with behavioral disorders or get surviving child benefit from the biological parents, or some form of social security drawn off the adoptive parent. For example if the mother receives or signs up for disability any legal child under 18 would also recieve benefit.
It's disgusting. My grandma adopted me for the surviving child benefit she got when my grandpa died.
The black lady seems to have true intentions. I think she really cares for the children she takes in. Her husband was probably worried about how he was going to support another child but he cares because he would rather keep him with them than send him to another home.
Yeah, I was rooting for Lacey since she is such a sweet intelligent person, but her interview really concerned me. I hope she's doing well. I'm so glad Chris got adopted by his foster family. They seem like really good people, and he's happy in their home with all the other kids.
You are quite right. Shedrick/Chris and Jeffrey have loving real homes. Lacey sounds flat and with no joy in her adoption. That woman sounds awful - 'Good Christian girl', meaning she will be no trouble. Already doing chores on the farm. Lacey just wants out and the farm is better than a foster situation. She looks so sad. I feel for her. There should be joy or anger or some emotion and there is only resignation.
I don’t get your post. Would you rather live in foster home instead of with your grandma? If she got the financial benefit, I think it’s a bonus for her to be able to keep her grandkid AND getting paid for doing so; considering her age and financial condition. Some grandparents don’t even want to babysit their grandkids regularly, let alone keep them for good. Their reasons or maybe in your eyes, excuses are: they’ve brought up their kids themselves and now they want to enjoy their retirement, or financial burdens because they don’t have enough pension to feed 3 people etc.
@@dream0froses Right? she did not seem happy at all in her interview. None of them had smiles in the family pic at the end of the show either. Poor girl. she is someone i would have totally felt comfortable adopting.
this is AMERICA not some socialist europe, nobody is paying you big dollar for taking care for unwanted children, GET REAL
The older kids especially Micheal just broke my heart. The uncertainty in his face made me cry 😢 I pray 🙏 life turns for the best ♥️
This is from 1998 - would love to see a follow up on their lives now
facts.
Me too
Laura Nadel 9
20 year update
That’s not the same person.
The bit with Michael actually broke my heart so bad 😞
I wish there was an update documentary about these children/families so we could find out how they are doing now!
I hope Lacey life turns out well,she really didn't seem happy when talking about her new home,this program made me cry,these poor innocent children ❣
You know what Me too, the picnic was really unsettling! But then I realised these kids are now all in their 30s! I'd love to know how everything worked out for them, especially Geoffrey!
@@pascalswager9100 It looks like Jeffrey's family doesn't have contact with him anymore. They have two other boys they post all over their social media but no mention of him. I found him on social media and he's not connected to them on socials. He is connected to one of the other boys. The parents don't mention him at all on their social media which makes me sad. :( He does still use their last name though so hopefully I'm wrong. I didn't get a good feeling about the mom in the documentary.
@@wizzyb9761 damn it! Thanks for the update mate. My Dad was adopted and both his siblings. He found his bio Family not long before he died, his Mum had passed and his Brothers rejected him 😔 he was alright though cause My Nana Marie was friggin awesome 😊 can't wait to see them again!
@@pascalswager9100 So I found a video of Chris and he talks about his struggles and says a lot of kind things about his foster family so I think his trauma derailed him. ruclips.net/video/sxqPiODB-to/видео.html
So sorry to hear of your Dad's situation. Glad to hear your nana was amazing.
Little Chris is adorable. He seems like such a sweet boy
They need to be screening these prospective parents to make sure they're SERIOUS & committed to keeping the child no matter what. "Rehoming" kids with complete strangers is a real problem.
Watch the video again; they WERE screened and had to be approved to adopt.
The teen girl who lived with the foster dad broke my heart...I felt her struggles trying to become independent and grow but now she is back in a group home bc the man got married. It seems he could’ve worked that out with his new wife . I just feel bad for all the beautiful faces of hope...
I’m so nauseous at the heartbreak this event has caused in so many of these childrens lives. My heart hurt every second for these babies being out on display like this to be let down . I love you guys so much
The brother and sister at 28:34 are HILARIOUS! That was my relationship with my little brother!
Hahaha *silence* "You're the ugliest thing I've ever seen". I wish I had a brother.
Vi Haze lololol correction: "you're the ugliest thing ive ever seen in person!" hahahahaha! brotherly love!
Yendi Barker hahaha you're the ugliest thing I've ever seen on earth 🤣🤣😂😂
the boy said to his sister. your the ugliest thing I ever seen on Earth I was crying
It was the little smirk he had on whilst saying it that had me. He knew he was gonna get hit for those words but he thought it was gonna be worth it for sure
The parents who adopted Jeffery are so cute especially the father!!! OMG it brought tears to my eyes.
VinessaGaming that first day he met the kid and began feeling faint...so emotional.he was my favorite parent
I’d take Chris in a heartbeat, no hesitation. His foster family made a good choice adopting him, he’s a sweet boy.
That one kid that said he was 14 looked so nervous and maybe even a little terrified. I can't imagine what these poor kids must be going through. In the next few years I'm going to be looking for property to have a house built on and after that I'd like to see how I go about fostering to adopt. I live in Nashville currently.
When the boy said Your the ugliest thing I've seen on earth. I was Laughing my ass off
This is the most heart breaking, unbelievably painful thing to see. I understand the premise is one of a solution, but what I see is a frightening and traumatic experience for the children, that is quite disrespectful to them.
Absolutely agree I thing its disgusting to do this to these kids like puppies come take your pick 😢 😿 😭
Watch" Re homing" 😥or maybe dont its worse 😥
@@tleemf6923 that documentary was heart wrenching :( how is it legal to just get rid of a adopted child? In my country adoptions are permanent. Adopted children have the same rights as biological would have and they'll be your legal children till the day you die. As it should be
Ya. A bunch of "do-gooders", shopping and patting themselves on the back. Id bet my last dollar, at least 86% of these kids were STOLEN from loving REAL Mama's and Daddy's.....
#1506daysSTOLEN.....but learning every day, and will NEVER give up.....
@@reginanash6887 💔 Yes my dear and this situation is getting much worse, not better.
So heartbreaking seeing all the stressed out children at this picnic. The boy Michael just broke my heart. He looked so sad
The idea of putting these beautiful souls on display at a "picnic" is depressing but this had some overwhelmingly redeeming moments - for instance when the light switched on for Chris' family and also for me, seeing a couple of amazing, loving dads - restored my faith in how amazing fathers can be.
am so pleased they changed there minds staying in a home he's known for 4 years and is happy and loved is the best news for him xx god bless that family
I live in Australia and it's so hard to adopt here. I'd adopt one of these children in a heart beat. Yes I'm gay, but that shouldn't reflect on me wanting to adopt. I've done so much for my nieces and nephews as I've never had a child myself. I work in a stable position and earn almost six figures. I have so much to give a child who wants to be given a chance a shown the positive attention they require. Breaks my heart children don't have someone to come home to every night, and talk of their day.
Who cares if you're gay, as long as you are a loving parent to a child nothing else should matter. I hope you will be able to adopt one day!
Mike V unfortunately in my State the won't allow homosexuals or single people adopt or foster. It's ridiculous, and sad for children needing a loving and stable home. I hope one day too that this can happen.
Tracey McGlenchy
Tracey McGlenchy what state? They do in Vic and nsw
Emma E South Australia. I work in Government and myself and an industrial officer were discussing SA's law on this when reading through the proposed Enterprise Agreement. I'm aware most States in Australia allow it. Just not SA.
I think they should put all those parents up there on display & let the children pick their parents✌🏼
24:28 That boy looks so broken and just hurt. It really hurts me inside. These poor babies. 😢 Wish he turned out okay!!
Omg that made me cry. He looks a lot like my brother. I can't imagine what these kids feel.
It's so sad and I was fuming when that woman said "We wanted to wait and meet Mark and now we can see he was the better choice." that disgusted me. I'm so glad that Mark is happy and loved but imagine Micheal seeing that scene on this documentary. Just another wound to add to his bucket. My heart is so broken for him, he looked so traumatized and on the verge of tears at that picnic. I hope they found a better way recently.
The Lacey adoption looks more like the needed someone to help them on the farm to tend to the animals.
This is 20 years ago. I'm dying to know, "where are they now?"
Geoffrey Nye I was a child adopted from this exact picnic . I'm in many shots
Hillary Musser MUA hope you well
Ask Bill Nye the science guy
@@hillarymussermua2671 must have felt weird seeing this all this time later
@@hillarymussermua2671 please tell us your experience if you don't mind
We adopted two boys we met at a picnic like this. The kids just had different tags not T-shirts. We had to go to classes before we could get the boys even though we had grown biological kids! We were surprised at the number of teenage girls and boys who wanted to be adopted . One girl said she wanted a father to walk her down the aisle when she grew up and got married! It is a strange feeling to be checking out kids -but it is good to see kids in a relaxed environment.
I would be a wonderful mother to Lacy. Hearing her story broke my heart. She’s an amazing young lady and has been cheated by horrible adults!!
I cried when I saw the future baseball player named Michael. Cannot believe they didn't choose him. Never saw such sad but still hopeful eyes. I hope the pain from his past will eventually leave him and that he will finally connect with a family who will love and cherish his lost soul and help him feel like he has value! With all the unwanted children in this world, it should be easier to adopt if you are single. I am overwhelmed seeing all these abandon children. There is no excuse for parents throwing their children away. This is a very sickening world.
Sometimes the government takes kids away out of spit ok it's not that black & White sometimes the Mother wants her kid back but she had problems with the government services it can be a very long story to sometimes to talk about why a woman's child had been taken away from her at that time ?
I wonder who picked him
@@bellasue02 sure hope someone good did. He seemed very special.
Supposedly nobody ever adopted him
@@karina_martinez420 how did you find that out?
OMG all those kids that need families breaks my heart!!
I agree.
They have families they were stolen
😪😪😪😪
I wouldn’t even think about re-homing my dog. You take on a responsibility and you follow it through. The tougher the path, the better the rewards.
I was lucky. I was placed with a foster family at 2 weeks old and was later adopted when I was 2 years old. Since about 14 my number one dream in life is to be a father and husband.
I will carry on the legacy of my family and adopt children, I want 8 children total so that means anywhere between 1 and 8 children who could be adopted. I will encourage every single one of my children to adopt too.
I hope one day I'm fortunate enough to adopt. So sad how many children are in the system & parentless.😪
therealonnah cos they are stolen
Crazy how families that want children cant
I hope you've gotten your child. There are so many in the system who need good, loving homes and families.
These videos motive me to help the FOSTER CARE SYSTEM!!!
It is such an incredible responsibility to parent your own child let alone another’s child who may have faced emotional/physical abuses.
I’m still learning and my own three are 28, 19 & 16. Especially because I raised my kids differently than how I was raised. Things I didn’t like growing up, I tried to do differently but sadly, some things I went to the extreme opposite. I don’t hit or spank, though I did with my oldest until I realized I wasn’t doing it for the right reason so I decided I wouldn’t punish through spanking anymore after that. The oldest was so good and today is so wonderful. The 2 younger; having received hardly any discipline, including me doing everything for them, were at times rude and mouthy and unmotivated. Of course they each have their own personality but the oldest excelled in school, and has always been thoughtful and polite. I’d grown up feeling ‘mean’ if I disciplined bc I thought it was mean being done to me. Not so. There has to be a fine balance, otherwise...
People need to figure out what that is and all parents should be required to go through educational parental programs so that they are up with laws, the latest in health and welfare and positive parenting information and skills.
The thing with Laceys "parents" is so obviously wrong and fishy, that I cannot believe the adoption bureau let her go there:
They never even talked to Lacey but want to adopt her?!?
Only reason they can give for that decision is because she is a good christian girl?
That gives me goosebumps like in a horror movie.
And by pure coincidence they have a farm and happen to need some help by a nearly grown up girl.
How could the adoption agency do that to Lacey?!?
I thought they were shy, actually. And their farm is really hobby farm, not a working farm.
Lacey was my favorite at the picnic. I wondered if she would be a little lonely been a only child. Lacy did say she has met a lot of people.
Really impressed with Lacey. She is very articulate and comes across as very intelligent. If given the right guidance & opportunity, she can have a successful future. I wish her best of luck.
I agree that there is something about the couple who adopted her. The woman only saw that Lacey was “Christian”, cleaned her room, helped in barn and the woman liked that. Did she observed what made Lacey happy? Or did something for Lacey that made Lacey happy? Hope things work for Lacey.
It's what they do. Out of sight is out of mind. It will no longer be their problem or their fault. There's something fundamentally wrong with this. It's creepy
I’d love to have Lacey as my daughter
I love how Mark (aka James) "My first thought was they're weird, they're funny, I like them." And then Dad asks "I'm not weird, am I? To which Mark responds, before the question is even completely out of Dad's mouth with "oh yeah". This kid is hilarious and it seems like he's very intelligent. I think he's going to grow up to be a very successful young man.
It’s heartbreaking to see kids growing up in foster homes. I don’t think this picnic day is ideal, but if it’s encouraging for more parents to adopt, then it’s one of the solutions.
These kids are so lovely. I hope they'll find love and warmth because that's what they deserve!
They'd be adults now haha but yes
Jeff Hutton has turned out great...
beth s
Steph what are the parents calle
It would be so good to see a follow up of these adoptions.
I was so happy for Lacey. From the beginning I was praying someone was going to adopt her. I wish I could have seen Michael get adopted also.
Imagine being a kid and you go there hopping someone will pick you. And then the disappointment, year after year if not picked. This makes me realy thankfully for my family. If I die, my kids will still have people that want and love them.
It looks like these people are picking merchandise at an auction. 😑
DELANODOMINICANO omg I was thinking same thing ...just seems off
lol right!!
DELANODOMINICANO it may seem so but the situation the kids and the parents are in is unnatural and nothing about it can seem normal. Even matching and choosing from pictures.
something strikes me odd in this video... the 14 year old girl says she's happy now that she's adopted but is that what happiness looks like? She doesn't look happy at all... kind of like it's rehearsed in a way. Am I the only one that sees this?
I agree. I pray in Jesus name that the man is not messing with her. I like her a lot I would’ve picked her to because she has a good spirit. She need someone just to love and support her. I hope she got it
She said she was happier than she has ever been. Maybe thats an indication of how unhappy she felt.
I think you have to realize someone who was in a foster home that she wanted to stay in, she was rejected after four years. She probably wished and wanted that to be her forever home. She was uprooted. She’s still a teen with these abandonment issues, but at the end of the day as long as they aren’t hurting her, she is happy to have a stable home, and no one who has lived a life different will be able to tell by the look on her face, by the understanding of your version of happiness.
There are disadvantages of being adopted such as the lack of genetic information and the potential for identity issues, but there are also many benefits such as being placed in a loving and supportive family and having the opportunity to create a unique sense of self.
This is really scary for the kids. I never thought about it until now. You grow up being told not to talk to strangers then all of a sudden you have to dress up in an orange shirt to attract strangers to come and touch you whilst they ask you random questions about your life.
breaks my heart to see so many children " parentless".... what is wrong with this world????!!!!!
Junius Michel
So why having them?
Ludivine Wittenberg Very complicated question to really answer. People tend to forget that 7/10 some people who have children usually start out with a good life/living plan until shit hits the fan. This could be financially, medically, legally, etc. where the child ends up getting neglected for basic needs, and soon find themselves put up for adoption. Change do happen (unexpected), so nothing really stays relatively the same or good forever. I am sure that about half of the children who end up in foster care were voluntarily given up by their biological parents as the parents have the idea of rather having their children in a better place than in their current residence. Others end up in foster care because they lost their parents (by death or prison) and either they have no relatives or have relatives who are willing to take them. Some, were taken by the state or just simply left behind.
Tarmesha Marks .............agree with what you that there many unforeseen circumstances where a baby is put up for adoption.....but there are many babies born into this world ' unloved ' and easily signed over for adoption without any excuse other than they were " unplanned" or not loved any longer!
Yes, if only there were more people like us that do the right thing.
Tarmesha Marks NO NO NO! Let me tell you, because it happend to me. All it took was for my ex to call and make false cps reports over and over again until they ultimately removed my one daughter.. My ex did that to gain custody of our two girls. I love all my children very much. As a matter of fact, I never even failed one of their drug screens. Somehow, cps was able to violate every civil right they were able to. Look it up. It's horrible and parents around the world are having their children TAKEN so that this kind of thing in the video can take place.
Undoubtedly there are flaws with this approach, but I loved the opportunity to see how Jeffery's dad had a visceral moment as soon as he saw Jeffery. He tried to come off as if he was thinking it all through clinically, but it was kind of clear that Jeffery was his kid from that moment, which was so touching.
My heart broke when the kids were on the stage. Most of them had a deep sadness in their eyes
I cried so hard when I saw that Jeffery was adopted . I hope all
these families are doing well and successful. I’d like to sew a follow up too.
Jeffrey seemed so cold to them at the picnic. I saw red flags
@@judithryle2113 Well he had never met them before the picnic, so what do you expect?
I think Jeffrey’s parents were genuine and it actually broke my heart how scared he was and when he was pretending to be fine 😭
There is something so wrong and off with Lacey's new situation... and the parents are creepy as heck.
They (the couple) seem like the sort of people who came from a religious cult. 20 years ago I hope Lacey is alive and well today.
I know... these ppl are talking like they are asking questions to buy a used car...
They dont seem to be in love or like for the children...
Some are just creepy....
Yes very weird about her situation, never spoke to her at picnic
I don’t know I think it’s nice that they adopted an older child, they may just have unique and standoffish personalities. And understood that maybe they couldn’t jump right into a younger child’s life, and that a smart girl like Lacey will understand them too.
Seemed like they needed her for help on their farm. Very creepy.
I am an American child from foster homes. We’re taught to smile & hide our problem.. we’re SA’D constantly. We act out at our “new families” because we are scared because our previous lives. The foster families can not deal with our past traumatic lives while in foster care so They return us (after adoption) so our previous life repeats itself. These people say they’re Christians but at the end of the day, they choose the child that best fits the “picture perfect “ life style for them..
Just saw this. It breaks my heart. As a single mom that loves her children beyond measure, I really don’t understand how people are so broken that they give up their children??? I wish I could adopt. I hope that some day I can. ❤️
Yeah, I feel the same way. Some people are completely broken - past trauma from THEIR parents, drugs, serious mental illness, them knowing they can't provide for a child….I wish our system would prioritize helping the parents and give a serious effort to getting them stable so they could potentially keep their children.
I don't think that singer should have put "God's forgotten children" in her song, so traumatizing to the kids.
hikkipedia yeah that whole song was pretty special...
Agree, I had to skip by the inappropriate song.
Oh my gosh i said the same thing! So horrible!! And she was so proud of that stupid song she made up. I wanted to give her a piece of my mind thru the screen!!!
Their whole life has been a trauma. If a song can pull on someones heart strings and get a child adopted so be it.
God does'nt forget anyone, he's watching over those kids, and all his world, she should sing that
Lacey seems super smart, intellectual, independent.. MATURE is the word.. especially for her age. I feel like we could be friends and i'm 24.
tumble0weed She is older than you now, because this is from 1998.
Good "Christian" girl,
like something on a banner they're waving around or on a t-shirt that they're walking around wearing, many if not most people who identify as "Christians" couldn't even tell you what defines someone as a Christian.
Anyone born in 1998 would be 24 years old now, and these kids were an average of 7 years old, in this 1998 video. I wonder how many of them are dead today?
Never heard of this type of picnic before. It must be awful for the children that aren't chosen.
For those wondering:
Lacy still lives in MS. She is married and has two daughters. She seems to have reconnected with her bio mom. Her brother died several years ago.
Chris goes by a slightly different name than the one he chose here and still lives in MS. He did eventually get to see his bio mom and at least one of his brothers last year.
Not much is known about Jeffrey. His parents say they don’t see him much because he doesn’t call or visit and has asked them to leave him alone. They have two younger sons now.
Nothing on Mark, but Evan was arrested for robbery a few years back. Also, no one ended up adopting Michael. He did not attend another picnic after this one.
Where did you find this information?
@@ryanhayes4148 what a sleuth!
Thanks for the update 🙂
This is sad to hear about Jefferey. I felt like the mom wasn’t prepared for a child and possibly some jealousy between her husband and her son…
@@NicoleS0913 Yeah, I think they both definitely had an unrealistic idea of how it was going to go. You notice how at the beginning, when they were filling out the survey, they didn't seem to be willing to take on a child who had problems. They seemed to just want a perfect kid and who was going to be wonderful all the time, (despite knowing he had a traumatic and violent childhood) and that's just not the nature of parenthood, whether you give birth to the kid or not.
I get the idea, but it's like they're at a cattle sale! The kids must feel under SO much pressure and what happens if they don't get picked? It must take a real knock to their self-esteem n I imagine the majority of the kids don't have much of it to begin with!
Exactly, lots of the children DO need that help. I just take it for grantage.
Exactly what I thought... Thats rough. This was like 20 years ago so hopefully they went on to live happy lives
Gumpie Gump My first thought was cattle auction:(
bobbi glave reminds me of when I was a kid and went to the cattle and bull sales with my dad. It's like the poor kids are on parade, makes me think of people going up and checking their teeth, ears and feet etc like you do with stock!
True. it is very hard on them. they are thinking about it is easier for the parents to find a child and in the long run easier for ppl to find thrm and want them though. it is hard thing to do, but have a greater chance with the picnic. stories online does not help them at all and the picnic may help them, but could damage self esteem too,sadly
aww tbh i wish jeffery social worker adopted him
niya egbe I think he got an awesome dad
niya egbe she was a very special social worker wasn’t she? 😊 I loved that she told him how he ‘deserved’ to be adopted and how happy she was for him. It was very moving. Wishing him all the best x.
I don't understand how a foster family can have a foster child for 4 years and not bond with the child? I would have to adopt the child.
This is a very good argument for free and readily available birth control. Every child deserves to be wanted.
These poor vunerable kids must feel lost inside. I hope they all end up with loving and caring families.They all need and deserve that.❤😢
You can tell that father that adopted Jeffrey is a good and kind-hearted man. He's going to be a great father to that boy, and I think the boy will grow up to be a resilient and good human being. Mom is great woman too, but I think she stays a bit guarded because of her fear. I really wish I could see what happens to all of them in 10 years time.
can u please send me a link
You don't have your private messages turned on. You either have to message me first or turn it on.
Sasha Stark can you send me the links too? I'm curious to see how it turned out for him.
Links please 😊
Sasha Stark link please 😊
As a former CPS social worker I don’t like the fact that the child was not allowed to spend time with the family PRIOR to the adoption to get them acquainted with the situation they were just given away per say! The family has no idea what to expect, you never know someone until you live with them especially children with behavioral issues! And the children that don’t get picked this is devastating😢 they will always wonder why wasn’t I picked😢 this is horrible for a child’s self esteem!
So sad the way they played that song with them all standing there 🥺
I think it upset them all for the day 😔❤️
It's wierd how the sign says children FREE for adoption. Free children??? Like the free puppies ads??? I'm thinking about it now and it'd be just as weird if the kids weren't "Free" but had prices next to their little name tags. This truly is bizarre.
It's just supposed to mean they are legally available for adoption, i.e., the parents have signed over guardianship or had it removed by a court. Many kids in foster care are not 'free for adoption' because their birth parents don't want them to be adopted, or because they're only in care temporarily and may be able to go back to their parents eventually. You're right it looks really weird written down like that though.
It said "tshirts FREE for children for adoption". They put them all in yellow shirts
This is disturbing. I was adopted at 7 months old from South Korea through Holt International. Adoption is bitter sweat for everyone.
Heh, Bitter Sweat :P
Personally I never found it bitter sweet. Just sweet sweet.
Instead of having half assed lazy parents who didn't really want me I ended up with a family who went through all the trouble to seek me out.
For me the only downside is I have a lack of family medical history.
Cha4k I’m so happy you feel this way.
This is heartbreaking. I'm glad something like this would never be allowed in our country. I just felt so sorry for these poor children.
I was an adoption social worker - hated these picnics...out of my hands....