Adoption Talk Top 10 of 2011

Happy New Year!  I thought this an appropriate occasion to list the top 10 most-viewed posts from 2011.  Of course, these may not turn out to be ultimately the top 10 most-viewed posts, since people may view other 2011 posts in future years.  Still, I thought it was an interesting list, and I hope you will, too!

1.  "The Orphans" as a Team Name?  Really?!  With the help of the entire population of Centralia, Illinois, this is the most-viewed post of 2011, with 4,944 views and 279 comments!  Boy, I struck a nerve with this one!

2.  Japan: Adoption After Natural Disaster This post after the devastating earthquake in Japan, reminding people that the natural charitable impulse to help shouldn't include adoption after a natural disaster, netted 1,662 visits.

3.  Who's Seen Kung Fu Panda 2?  Kung Fu Panda 2 takes up quite a few spots on the top-10 list, because I think adoptive parents (and others) were anxious about how the adoption themes would be handled. The 1,337 views of this post lands it in the number 3 spot.

4. We saw Kung Fu Panda 2 Still more interest in the movie, with 907 views.

5.  Kung Fu Panda v. Kung Fu Panda 2 See above, 852 views! Here I explored why adoptive parents were particularly anxious about the "adoption themes" in the sequel -- it would entail Po's search for his roots -- when the we-are-family themes of Kung Fu Panda didn't ruffle any feathers.

6. A Solution for Teen Pregnancy Everyone agrees that teen pregnancy isn't a great idea, though we often disagree about the "solution" -- but can anyone accept the premise in an article I discuss, that "promoting adoption" is the "solution?"  Isn't the solution about KEEPING teens from getting pregnant in the first place?  Apparantly, 745 viewers were interested in that topic.

7.  Guatemala: U.S. adoptive parents must return child kidnapped from birth mother The court order from a Guatemalan court ordering the return of an adopted child who had been kidnapped from her birth mother generated a lot of interest in the international adoption community -- 595 views.

8.  Celebrity Adoption: Denise Richards Sometimes even I can't figure out what posts will generate more than the usual level of interest!  This one netted 556 views.

9.  Dear Abby: Fund-Raising for Adoption This is a topic that tends to generate passionate feelings on both sides.  This post had 487 views and 35 passionate comments.

10. Study: Behavioral Adjustment of Adopted Chinese Girls, Two Year Followup Reporting on this study netted 460 views.

Did any of your favorites make the list?  If not, let me know which posts of 2011 you most enjoyed in the comments. If you're new to the blog, you might enjoy looking at these most-viewed posts.  If you're a long-time reader, maybe you'll enjoy a re-read.  In any event, I hope your 2011 was terrific, and that your 2012 is shaping up to be just as terrific!