Compiling a scrapbook for the son he’s never known, a father confronts his grief.
How to Talk About Birth Fathers with Young Children
Because young adopted children tend to focus on their birth mothers, you need to make a special effort to include their birth fathers.
Birth Parent Fantasies
Your child’s birth mother looms large in her imagination now. What’s your grade-schooler really thinking?
“My Parents Never Judged My First Mother”
With her swollen belly, my classmate reminded me of my own first mother. People expected her to be ashamed, but I wondered, how can someone be ashamed of the mother without also being ashamed of the baby?
What Does the Expectant Mother’s Attorney Do?
When an expectant parent chooses to be represented by an attorney, it is important for all of the parties in the adoption to understand that the role of the attorney is to advocate for his client. Our adoption law expert explains.
“Open Adoption Is…”
For our family, open adoption is peach roses, scrambling to buy bottles, and feeling out our relationship with the birth mom.
Other Brothers (and Sisters!)
Six families share their amazing stories about the power of birth sibling connections.
“Knowing Our Son’s Birth Father”
It has been hard to watch Kenneth struggle as a birth dad in an open adoption. I wish my husband and I could make it easier for him, and for our son.
“Introducing Tessa to Her Birth Father”
After seven years, we decided to bring our daughter’s birth father back into her life. But was she ready for him?
“A Dollhouse Family Just Like Ours”
Buying a dollhouse for my daughter’s third birthday was a cinch. Finding the right family to live in it was a bit more difficult.
“Moving Past My Infertility”
My infertility was in the past. But was I ready to laugh at immature teenage jokes about adoption?
Open Adoption Over the Years
Parents involved in open adoptions speak honestly about working through challenges and keeping the relationship going through life changes.
Ask AF: Bringing Birth Fathers Into the Adoption Conversation
Answers to your parenting questions.
Breaking Bad News: “I Have Something to Tell You”
How do you break bad news about job loss, illness, or divorce to the birth parents in an open adoption relationship?
Imagining Another Life
As adolescents become capable of abstract thinking, they begin to wonder about the family and the country left behind — and the road not taken.
“Open Adoption Works for Us”
From a rocky start, we’ve built a relationship with our children’s birth families that has enriched their lives, and ours.
Birth Fathers: The Forgotten Half of the Story
Biological fathers get short shrift in fairy tales and real life. But their exclusion can have legal and emotional consequences.
Ask AF: A Fantasy Father
Ronny Diamond discusses fantasy play in adopted children. In this case, a single mother worries about the imaginary “father” her daughter talks about.
When a Birth Parent Moves On
It’s not that she doesn’t care, it’s that life takes twists and turns.
“Someone Who Shares My Joy”
Our open adoption allows us to share the love we have for our daughter with her birth parents.