With such a spectrum of opinions about adoption, it’s hard to know if we talk about it too much, or not enough, and in the right way. But watching my son navigate adoption comments at school reassured me of his comfort with it.
“Should We Tell Our Son’s Teacher That He Was Adopted?”
Families share their experiences with school and adoption issues.
How to Start a Parent Support Group
Start small, find like-minded members, and grow with your kids.
“Why I Attend Adoption Conferences”
As I listened to the haunting soundtrack recently, I realized that The Truman Show is also about adoption. As the realization of his life dawns on Truman, he confronts his fears, leaves his home, and runs straight to the only person who has ever told him the truth.
“They Are Not Lucky; We Are All Blessed.”
As parents, we are neither selfish nor selfless, but we are surely blessed.
When Relatives Hold Dated Views About Adoption
“I need help dealing with unsupportive relatives who seem to think ‘adoption’ is a dirty word. How can I talk with them about adoption?”
“What is Adoption?”
When your child’s classmates have questions, you can provide the answers.
“Which Ones Are Yours?”
There’s this poem I’m supposed to love. I first read it when we adopted our oldest son: Not flesh of my flesh nor bone of my bone/But still miraculously my own./Never forget, for a single minute,/You didn’t grow under my heart, but in it.
“How I Deal with Nosy Questions”
Our daughter is not a public exhibit. She deserves to be protected from questions that undermine the legitimacy of our family.
“The One Place I Thought I’d Fit In”
I’d expected to fit in at the adoptive parents’ support group. At the first meeting, however, I found I was the only mom who’d adopted domestically, who looked like her child.
Helping Your Child Cope with Intrusive Questions
When my daughter Hope started kindergarten at her progressive school here in diverse New York City, we were both taken by surprise by the persistent, direct adoption questions she faced from classmates, questions that adults would be reluctant to pose.
The Joy of Giving Back
Many of us start out thinking we are simply adding a child to our life. But for the families featured here, the immeasurable joy they found through adoption inspired them to serve needs even greater than their own.
Bringing Up Adoption at School
Advice for parents from parents on how to navigate explaining adoption to the classroom during back to school season, and beyond!
“Adoption Is Not Second Best”
Near-strangers feel compelled to tell me about friends who got pregnant after adopting and say, “There’s still hope….” But I don’t hope for a biological child; I hope for a healthy relationship with my two kids.
Parent-to-Parent: What Does a Family Want to Hear While Waiting to Adopt?
Waiting to adopt is hard, especially when the wait stretches on for years. Real parents share the words that comforted them and got them through their waits.
Parent-to-Parent: Talking with the Teacher About Adoption
Parents weigh in on talking with their child’s teacher and sharing resources at the start of a new school year.
Listen to the Children
A callous foster care system deprived her of parents and siblings and gave precious little in return.
“A Different Definition of Family”
I am the white, single mother of an eight-year-old Asian girl, whom I adopted when she was six days old. As you can imagine, I have given a lot of thought to “the daddy question.”
Listen to the Musical Beat of Love
Musicians—from folk singers to rappers—are tuning in to adoption to create deeply personal reflections and hummable melodies. These songs are what you need when words aren’t enough.
Ask AF: Explaining Adoption to Other Kids
How can our close friends explain our domestic adoption of a five-year-old to their young children, ages three to six?