After meeting a man who thought he might be our daughter’s birth father, we were all invested in the idea of an open adoption relationship—but how would the test come back?
The Paternity Test, Part 1: “I Hope It’s Them”
When our daughter was born, her birth mom listed the birth father as “unknown.” Ten years later, he found us on social media and reached out.
Parent-to-Parent: Like Birth Mother, Like Child
We asked our readers: What talent or trait do you see in your child that must be from his or her birth family? Read the answers from adoptive parents.
“What Do I Tell My Teen About His Birth Father?”
Your teen will want to know more about his birth father—and his birth parents’ relationship.
The Birth Parent Perspective: Stats and Chart
A study, the Early Growth and Development Study, is shedding light on open adoption attitudes and outcomes. Here are some basic findings, as well as AF poll results on families’ open adoption experiences.
“For the Love of My Child”
When Elizabeth was young, closed adoption was comfortable. But my outlook changed the day my teenage daughter said, “I want to find them.”
Ask AF: Writing to the Birth Father
My husband and I adopted a baby boy about four months ago. Much to our surprise, the birth father has decided to file an opposition to the adoption.
Ask AF: An Unknown Birth Father
Our daughter’s birth mother says she has no idea who the birth father is. We don’t know his first name or even the color of his hair.
Setting Boundaries in Open Adoption
In an open adoption, your child’s birth parents become part of your extended family. Here are some common questions when it comes to managing those relationships.
When Birth Moms Get the Blues
It may take some time for your child’s birth mother to work through her grief. But there are ways you can help.
Keeping Up Contact with Birth Parents
An open adoption arrangement may be buffeted by passing time and changing circumstances. Here’s how to make your relationship endure.
Ask AF: Health History
What should I ask my birth father about my birth family’s medical history?
What’s in a Name? For an Adopted Child, A Lot!
When a child joins a family with his own history, his own culture—his own name—parents may want to look beyond the pages of a baby names book.
The First Year of an Open Adoption: Four Families Share
Families with different levels of contact offer glimpses into their relationships with birth parents during their first year home.
“From Our Hearts”: Letters to Our Child’s Birth Parents
Writing about the little things in letters to our daughter’s birth parents often tells a bigger, warmer story in the end.
What Should We Include In Our Contact Agreement?
We’ve been selected by a birth mom who is due in two months. Our attorney advised us to draw up a contact agreement prior to the birth. What should we include?
Why Didn’t They Keep Me?
Answering kids’ questions about birth parents.
What if My Birth Mother Shows Up to Claim Me?
Reassure your child that you are his parent, forever and always.
The Birth Parent Perspective
A major study reveals that open adoption works well for everyone involved. Hear what families say is good about the process — and what could be better.
Adoptees on Open Adoption: “I Have All My Pieces”
Teen and young adult adoptees who grew up in fully open adoptions talk about their relationships with their birth parents and adoptive parents and the many benefits openness has brought them.