As she anticipates the release of her documentary Hayden & Her Family, the filmmaker reconnects with the mother of 12 she profiled to discuss special needs adoption, parenting outside “normal” boundaries, and how loving a child changes you.
“Breathing”
As I prepared to adopt my second child, I welcomed the home study worker into a perfectly clean and ordered home. The scene that greeted her at her post-placement visit was, well, different—but much more real.
2019 Cover Photo Contest Winners
Congratulations to the winners of the 2019 Adoptive Families Cover Photo Contest! See the nine photos selected from more than 500 entries, and read stories from the proud parents.
2018 Cover Photo Contest Winners
Congratulations to the winners of the 2018 Adoptive Families Cover Photo Contest! See the nine photos selected from 1,000 entries, and read stories from the proud parents.
“Finally Father’s Day”
I became a dad at age 50, and it changed my life in ways I never could have expected. It was the greatest gift.
“Feeling Like Family”
After the divorce, my family felt incomplete. To find the missing piece, I traveled to a Russian orphanage, thousands of miles away.
“Before I Became a Mom”
“I have always known I was capable of giving this much love. What I didn’t know is that a child could love me this much.”
When Grandparents Adopt
Millions of children around the world are currently being raised in “grandfamilies.” In this excerpt from a new guidebook, learn how to make sense of your new role and explain this unique form of kinship adoption to your child.
“Among Friends”
When it comes to socializing, my gregarious daughter has taught me a thing or two.
“Mom, Were You Alive During Woodstock?”
Age limits for those adopting have been stretched or even eliminated. How might this affect the children of these “older” parents?
2017 Cover Photo Contest Winners
Congratulations to the winners of the 2017 Adoptive Families Cover Photo Contest! See the nine photos selected from more than 1,200 entries, and read stories from the proud parents.
How to Talk About “Dad” in Single Mother Families
Single-parent homes are more common now, but kids still grapple with the daddy question.
“My Single Mother’s Legacy”
A cry in the night reminds one mother how much families have changed and how much love stays the same.
“And Baby Makes Three”
A single mom’s decision to adopt a second time.
“Sometime in the Night”
In this personal essay, a single dad shares the story of the night he met his daughter in China.
“Ode to Joy”
A simple radio broadcast can bring up my worries for my daughter’s future, and my fears as an older parent.
“More Love Is More Love”
In many families, relationships come without exact names. While adoption highlighted this truth, it was already a given in my family—and maybe in yours, too?
“Finally, Our Turn!”
First-time parent at 41? If this is my mid-life crisis, I couldn’t have hoped for a sweeter one.
Ask AF: Handling a Difficult Adjustment After Older Child Adoption
A single mother who’s adopting a boy from foster care seeks advice on a challenging older child adoption adjustment. Parents who have adopted older children respond.
News Brief: Expanded Definition of Parenthood Tested in New York Court
In August 2016, New York state expanded its definition of a parent to include caretakers without biological or adoptive ties. In September 2016, a first court case put that definition to the test.