No matter what their ages, our children need to be reassured about the future.
“Loving My Mother — and Becoming One”
I was an adoring daughter, ready to be an adoring mom.
“Thanking My Adoption Support Network”
One mother says the thank you’s we sometimes forget to say.
“Where Will We Fit In?”
Selling my parents’ house makes me wonder where to put down roots for our family of two.
Post-Adoption Planning: What Single Parents Should Consider
I just adopted as a single parent. What should I do to protect the rights of myself and my child?
“Goodbye to Grandpa”
My daughter’s struggle to make sense of this loss is shadowed by her earliest one.
“Fostering Love”
With fost-adopt, I didn’t need to own a home or have $50,000 in the bank to become a parent.
“Losing Sleep”
As my daughter discovers the brave new world of sleepovers, she and I are both missing out on some shut-eye.
“My Daughter, My Best Friend”
Being a single parent to an only child means forsaking some friends—but gaining a best one.
“When I Grow Up”
My daughter’s daydreams about her future family may be a little offbeat. Works for me—as long as she always follows her heart.
“The View from Here”
As I see it now, my golden years are likely to be filled with pet doggies and boxed mac and cheese. And I can’t imagine anything better.
“Fantasies of Family”
Sometimes a household of two can feel a bit small.
“Seizing the Day”
I might never have decided to adopt had I foreseen what was to come in other areas of my life. But when I imagine life without my daughter, I know there was no other choice.
“When Did My Little Girl Grow Up?”
My daughter is still very much a little girl. But with every passing week, it’s getting frighteningly easier to imagine her teen years.
“Here and Now, If Not Always”
My hope, as a single foster mother, is to provide at least a temporary period of calm in a stormy childhood.
“Understanding My Family’s Circles”
My traditional childhood dreams gave way to an unexpected, soul-filling reality.
“Growing Pains”
After the loss of my father, I’ve found myself — an only child and a single mom — in the middle of a new family circle.
“What an Embarrassment!”
As my daughter approaches the tween years, she’s becoming more aware of who she is and of how others see her — and me.
Share Your Story: First Mother’s or Father’s Day
We asked our reader panel: How did you celebrate your first Mother’s Day or Father’s Day? What’s since become an annual tradition?
“Yes, Black Women Do Adopt”
Talking with Black women about adoption became a routine part of motherhood for me, alongside diapers, homework, and the warmth I feel every time I look at my son.