As crazy as it sounds, the transition from being childless to becoming a parent has given me time I didn’t have before.
“Dear Infertility Patient”
From a woman who finally became an adoptive mother after a decade of trying, here are a few things I wish someone had told me years ago.
Refugee Adoption: A Whole New World for Our Daughters
Although the adoption of refugee children was more complicated than I expected, it has been infinitely rewarding. These children and their past are now part of me.
“Will I Ever Be Able to Love This Child?”
When the first few weeks of parenthood were rocky, I found myself worrying: Did we adopt a child I’ll never be able to love?
“Welcomed By Our Daughter’s Birth Family”
I asked my family not to come to the hospital when she was born, then mourned their absence. Enter her birth relatives.
A Mother’s Day Ritual
A simple ceremony with flowers and candles helped my children celebrate their love for two mothers.
“Four Unforgettable Introductions”
One adoptive dad describes four introductions he’ll never forget— those first moments when he met each of his four children but wasn’t yet their father.
“Rooting Our Children in Our Latino Heritage”
As Latino parents, we know firsthand the discrimination our children will face.
“A Past Without Pictures”
My daughter was eight years old in the referral photo we received during the international adoption process. That’s the oldest photo she will ever have of herself.
“My Resilient Son”
Dr. Jane Aronson shares her own story of adopting a child with developmental delays and reflects on the healing powers of love and permanence.
“Instant Mom”
Nia Vardalos describes her first meeting with the preschooler she adopted from U.S. foster care.
“Gifts to and from My Child’s Adoptive Family”
In an open adoption, what do you give to the person who means everything to you? Thoughts from a birth mom about the gifts that mean the most.
“A Mother Like Any Other”
In this personal essay, one woman compares her adoptive motherhood with what her daughter will experience after pregnancy, and her quest to find answers.
“From Foster to Adoptive Parent”
As foster parents, you open your hearts and home to a child even as you’re preparing to reunite her with her birth mother.
“A Stocking Filled with Memories of our Foster Child”
We knew it was possible for the girl we were fostering to be reunited with her birth mother. But that didn’t make it hurt any less.
“Is My Asian Son a Whiz Kid?”
When my son was five months old, friends predicted he would be a good student — probably a mathematician.
“The Day I Gave My Heart Away”
A birth mother shares her feelings and thoughts about making an adoption plan for her child.
“Older Mom, Growing Older”
After catching baby fever at age 40 and adopting a newborn at 45, I’m aiming to live till 100.
“Bigotry, Blindness, and Basketball”
What started off as a fun day on the courts left my heart hurting for my two brown boys, and the kids who excluded them.
“Slipping into Parenthood”
I bought that stuffed animal — and that book, and that baby hat — in a moment of weakness. But as the wait stretched on, I realized those slip-ups are what kept me going.