Mom captures the exact moment newly adopted 2-year-old baby realized her 'mommy' wasn't going anywhere

Kids raised in orphanages or foster care often develop insecurity due to a combination of emotional, psychological, and social factors stemming from early life experiences. It may take longer than we imagine, but adoption can help many overcome self-doubt, heal emotional wounds, and grow up to become more emotionally strong individuals. Genevieve Rose Traversy (@genevieverosetraversy), who adopted the baby girl she had fostered, captured the exact moment her 2-year-old realized her mother wasn't going anywhere, and it's truly heartwarming. 

Amaris, the toddler, was a newborn when she entered the foster care system, and at 18 months old, she was placed with Genevieve, her husband, Shawn, and their four children, according to TODAY. Initially, Amaris had a tough time settling in with her new parents; in fact, she was so scared of people that she would flinch if someone got too close to her. Genevieve said they had to pour "a lot of love" into her before Amaris could accept her new life. "There was quite a bit of crying — not just from her, but from all of us. It was hard," she added. With time, Amaris grew so close to her new family, especially her mom, Genevieve, that during a school concert, the (then) toddler couldn't concentrate on anything except her mother. While all other kids, dressed in their paper crowns, were seen singing during a Thanksgiving celebration, Amaris was busy adoring her mother in the audience.

Genevieve had filmed the video in 2019 but shared it on TikTok in 2022. Reflecting on the precious moment, she wrote, "Instead of singing, she kept pointing at me, saying, 'My Mommy.' So grateful I captured this moment." Notably, Genevieve, just like Amaris, was raised in foster care. She had to experience 25 different homes before opting out of the system at 18; however, her struggles didn't end there. Genevieve, who had her first child at 16, defied all odds and went on to earn three degrees, now working as a foster care recruiter and life coach. Genevieve had herself gone through the experience that Amaris experienced very early on in life. So she could understand the child's misery, but not everyone is well-equipped without training to deal with it.

In fact, when researchers looked at studies involving more than 4,000 preschool-aged foster kids, they realized 40% of them had developmental delays, mental health issues, or insecure attachments. These results proved why foster or adoptive parents need proper training to help the kids with past traumas, behavioral problems, etc. Meanwhile, reacting to Amaris' story, @thegirlcop commented, "I am bawling! As someone who works with so many children in foster care, it fills my soul to see this." Similarly, @tiktokmomma57 shared, "I adopted my daughter when she was 3. That first Christmas, she sat on Santa's lap and said, 'I don't need anything for Christmas; I have a family now,' and all the parents were crying. @sagalaga65 said, "It made me cry. She’s admiring you and is happy that you're there! I’m going through this process, and some days are so difficult, but I have to remember we got this and it’ll all be worth it in the end! I couldn’t live without my baby!"

 On the other hand, @jerrysmith3116 revealed, "Adoption saved my life. And I remember that feeling of getting a mom and a dad; they helped me sign my new name. That was in '91; they're still my heroes." @heck recalled, "I adopted my niece, who called me auntie. One day, around 16 years old, she started calling me 'Mommy.' My whole heart exploded. I am her aunt and her mom. I know this felt awesome." Echoing the sentiments,  @kristofferfrostho said, "What a lovely girl! Children are the best! Wish every child could stay children as long as possible and those who don’t have parents could get adopted!"

You can follow Genevieve Rose Traversy (@genevieverosetraversy) on TikTok for more parenting stories. 

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