We set off on the 3,400-mile journey to meet my daughter’s birth mother in silence, our questions too big to put into words. In Colombia, communicating through an interpreter, but also through smiles, tears, embraces, and shared sensory experiences, all of us began to find answers.
“Meeting Jennifer” – Opening a Foster Adoption
After adopting my children from foster care, we eased into contact with their birth mother. She and I—a conservative, suburban mom—couldn’t be more different, and I’m glad that’s the case. The kids have a special relationship with her that they can’t have with me.
The Paternity Test, Part 2: “The Results”
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?
Motherhood? Me? You’ve Got to Be Kidding!
Having children was something that other people did. But giving birth has given me a sense of connection I never felt before.
“Looking for Answers in Guatemala”
When it came to locating our daughter’s birth mother in Guatemala, we didn’t know where to begin. But we knew that we had to try.
When Teens Want to Search for Birth Parents
Part of how teens form identity is by finding ways they are alike and different from their family. They may want to search for their genetic relatives to figuring out who they are and how to emotionally put pieces in place.
Book Excerpt: The English American
Born in America, raised in England, and meeting her birth mother for the first time.
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.”
“Meeting My Cousin for the First Time”
Somehow, I turned out to be both an adoptive mom and a member of a birth family.
“Googling Her Birth Parents”
Would it really be possible to fill out my daughter’s hazy memories by typing names into a search engine?
Adopting a Baby: The Truth About Domestic Infant Adoption
Adopting a baby in the United States has changed dramatically in the last 30 years. When will popular perceptions catch up with the new, healthier reality? Here, an adoptive mother dispels common myths about adopting a newborn.
When Teens Find Birth Family Online
Got a Web-savvy teen on your hands? Here’s how to set safety guidelines for online birth family contact.
Teens and Open Adoption
As teens seek independence, they rethink their relationships with all the adults in their lives — including birth parents.
Q&A: Bryan and Angela Tucker of Closure
After a lifetime of wondering who? and why?, an adoptee set out to find some answers. The award-winning documentary that follows her birth family search has already sparked thousands of dialogues.
“Seeing My Daughter’s ‘Happily Ever After'”
My daughter, Rubie, has the kind of life I’d dreamed of for her, and is where she belongs. I only wish I had known that sooner.
Understanding Open Adoption
Among experts who study it and families who practice it, open adoption varies widely. Here’s a look at open adoption today.
Ask AF: Birth Sibling Contact
When kids find out they have birth siblings, they’re usually interested in meeting. Here’s how parents can help facilitate the relationship.
Ask AF: Opening Contact
“We recently learned that our son’s birth mother is having health problems. How do we tell him, and how can we ask for more contact?’
The Basics of Open Adoption
What is “open adoption” — and what might it mean for your family?