Olympics a chance for adoptive families to learn about China

For 7-year-old Isabella Falsetti of Rockford, this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing are about much more than swimming and gymnastics.

They're an opportunity to learn about her native country and have open conversations with her mother about the differences between Chinese and American cultures.

Isabella and her mother, Sherry Falsetti, who adopted Isabella from China when Isabella was 13 months old, joined several local families Aug. 8 around potstickers, egg rolls and a flat screen TV to watch the Olympics Opening Ceremony in Beijing National Stadium.

"It showed so much of Chinese history, and it wasn't 'Let's sit down with a book and teach this,' " Sherry Falsetti said. "This is a great time for adoptive parents of Chinese children to really be able to address some issues and questions without it seeming forced."

Since 1994, more than 600 Chinese children have been adopted by Rock River Valley families through Lifelink International Adoption. They are among the 68,000-plus children, mostly girls, who have been adopted by U.S. families since 1991, according to the State Department.

Many local families already promote pride in their children's heritage through monthly meetings with other adoptive parents and celebrations of Chinese festivals and holidays. They say the Olympics provide a unique and natural opening to strengthen those bonds.

"Watching the Olympics together is something we're all doing," Laura Stroup said of local adoptive families.

Stroup, a social worker with Lifelink, adopted her daughter, Mya, from China when Mya was 9 months old.

"We sit down and watch together, and we root for China as well as America," Stroup said.

"She's 4, so she can only get into it so much. But she understands she's from China and it's been fun, especially as they've been showing the sights of Beijing, to see her watch positive things about her country."

Stroup and Falsetti are members of the local chapter of Families with Children from China, which serves as a support network for people who have adopted or are considering adopting Chinese children. The group, which has chapters across the country, started in the Rockford area in 2006 after seeing a large number of families that had adopted children from China.

The group hosts a large annual Chinese New Year celebration and is planning an event marking the Moon Festival this year. Still, there is always more to learn about China, group President Melodie Hueber said, and the Olympics feature some of the country's most famous sites and traditions on a global stage.

"We do believe that our children should be aware of their cultural heritage, even though they are all now completely American kids. This has been another great opportunity for us to have our children learn more about their birth country," Hueber said. "My daughter, who is 8 years old, says she will cheer for the Chinese athletes when they compete against other countries, but she wants the USA to win."

Sometimes, the parents get as excited as the kids.

The Falsettis started prepping for the Games around last Christmas, buying Olympic T-shirts for friends and regularly chatting about the event. Mother and daughter have been avidly watching the games and taping events so they can watch them again and again.

Isabella is a gymnastics and swimming fan, but nothing has yet compared with the spectacle of the Opening Ceremony.

"Seeing the history of China and the beauty and precision with which things were presented, she was just awe-struck by it," said Sherry Falsetti, who has begun the process of adopting a second daughter from China. "She said 'It makes me feel really good about the country I came from.' It's been so neat to see that."

Sarah Roberts can be reached at smrobert@rrstar.com or (815) 987-1354.