Wednesday's Child: 12-Year-Old Dayshawn

Dayshawn is very loving, engaging 12-year-old boy of African-American and Caucasian descent who is eager to please. He has a unique personality and is a curious, imaginative and playful youngster. Dayshawn enjoys making up stories as part of an ongoing role play. He loves having one-on-one time with adults in his life and receiving positive attention. Dayshawn hopes to find a family where he can connect to people. Dayshawn is also an animal lover and is caring and gentle towards them.

Dayshawn is diagnosed with autism and has some cognitive delays, however, he has demonstrated a tremendous capacity to learn. An eager and willing student, Dayshawn reads well and is also a good speller. Dayshawn does best with highly structured days and a regular schedule, which he gets through his residential program. He is often the first child selected to attend activities because of his outstanding positive behavior. Dayshawn tends to get along better with boys than girls and is working hard on social issues.

In his spare time, Dayshawn enjoys coloring, art projects, playing with his toy cars and trucks, and listening to music. He can sometimes have difficulty with sensory issues and benefits from the sensory room at his program. Dayshawn excels when his environment is calm and relaxing. He has a harder time when there is a lot of noise or activity around him. He loves to be outside exploring new environments.

Legally freed for adoption, Dayshawn is ready to be placed in a family who could provide him with a lot of one-one assistance and is willing to participate in therapeutic services. Ideally, a family with experience with children on the spectrum would be best. Dayshawn would be a joyful addition to a single or two-parent family with a nurturing female caregiver and one or two siblings. He also has two biological siblings with whom he maintains contact every couple of months.

For more information you can contact MARE: 617-54-ADOPT (617-542-3678) or visit www.mareinc.org.

Since its inception in 1981, Wednesday's Child has been a collaboration of the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE), the Department of Children & Families and WBZ-TV/CBS Boston. Hosted by Jack Williams for the last 34 years, this weekly series has given a face and voice to the children who wait the longest for families. Wednesday's Child has helped find homes for hundreds of waiting children and continues to raise awareness about adoption from foster care.