Valentina (15)

Host Directors Notes: Valentina was previously offered for hosting and adoption with her brother. Unfortunately her brother has many emotional problems and sabotaged any chances for a family for them. Their orphanage director is now offering to split them for hosting and to facilitate having their separated for adoption as well. This has been discussed with Valentina and she is very relieved and happy with this news. She very much would like a forever family.

Valentina was a loving, agreeable, fun, jovial, smart, behaved child. We hosted her the summer of 2019 for 11 weeks when she was 14. For the most part she was engaged with our family and wanted to be involved with activities. Electronic time was not a problem. She would ask for internet time about 30 minutes a day to connect with her friends. She helped in the kitchen and was willing to pitch in with a given project. On her own she decided she wanted to earn money to buy a phone to take back and so she worked at weeding flower beds and a few cleaning jobs and did a good job.  She loves slime (almost obsessive with it) to the point that it seemed she needed something to touch, something to feel. She was not a natural hugger but would gladly accept the hugs we gave her. She liked to tease appropriately and was able to take it in return. She loved to be tucked into bed and even allowed “papa” to give her night time hugs and kisses. She loved when “mama” took the time to give her a back rub at bedtime.

She loved to ride bikes. She loved to swim. She loved photography. She loved hiking on our trip to the mountains. She enjoys being active but did complain about her knee which she hurt a few years back. She helped in the kitchen. She liked interaction. She was good with little children and loved to hold babies.
Her tastes with dress were appropriate. She liked shorts in the summer heat, but always wanted a shirt/top that was not revealing. For church she wanted to dress up, but was not necessarily into dresses. Nails and hair were not necessarily her thing although she was neat and cared for her hygiene. She enjoys doing hairdos for other girls.
We would recommend her to a family that has other children either older or younger. We think she can adapt to siblings older and younger. We had bios older and younger and she related well with all of them (other then our special needs daughter). The only caution, we would give is to not have another girl that is similar age (maturity) because of competitiveness and trying to best each other. In other words because of the potential for conflict we would caution against another girl in the home age 12-15, unless you know that other girl is very mature and patient and longsuffering.
We have since last summer adopted 3 boys ages 7, 8, 9. Otherwise we would consider hosting Valentina.

 

Other notes on Valentina from a previous host mom- very social and playful. Loves loves loves animals. I think she played with our kids just as much as she played with our dog. She didn’t like sports but still enjoyed playing outside, trampoline, ninja warrior type places, and the hover board etc. She needs to improve on her English but said she likes school.