Tuggin' At the Ol' Heartstrings...

Russian boy's return shocked, saddened driver

(CNN) -- The driver hired to deliver an adopted Russian boy from the Moscow airport to the Russian education ministry last week said he was "shocked like a crazy man" when he realized what was happening.

Seven-year-old Justin Artyem was sent back to Russia alone by the Tennessee family that adopted him because of what they said was violent and psychotic behavior.

There's really not a lot of information in the story from which to draw a completely accurate picture. I understand that. They don't give the American family the chance to tell their side of the story. I understand that as well. I also understand that the Russian media/agencies are about on a par with the American media when it comes to accuracy/truthfulness. There may very well be a lot more to this story that we're not being told in an effort to shape the news.

I just can't help thinking about how positively bewildered and scared that poor little boy must have felt and continues to feel...

Seven years old is a tough enough time when you're not half a world away from what you've known as home. Just getting used to the whole school thing and being away from mom & dad causes perfectly "normal" kids to lash out (two days ago BabyGirl G. was sent home with pants that were half- shorts because she decided that she wanted her sweatpants to be sweatshorts, so she took her school scissors and started cutting...). I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it must be to go from a Russian orphanage to a small town in rural America.

One thing is pretty clear: the way this was handled was less-than-optimal for all parties. The family here in the USA could have looked into handing the child to an American adoption agency rather than just plunking him on a plane. Barring that, they should have followed the proper channels with regards to the return of foreign foster children - at the very least the boy should not have been put on an intercontinental flight by himself at seven years of age.

Let's hope the hasty act of one family don't jeopardize the fate of adoptees and adoptive parents...

That is all.