The term "open adoption" can cause considerable concern among prospective adoptive parents who fear that the process will allow their child's birth family to negatively impact -- or perhaps even someday invalidate -- their relationship with their adopted child.

However, according to a March 25 examiner.com article by Pamela Porter, an open adoption can actually lead to a more fulfilling experience for all concerned parties:

Acknowledging that their wait to become parents might be extended if they insisted on a closed adoption, [Alex and Rachel] decided to do some reading. However, the books they selected about open adoption only seemed to frighten them even more. They found their fears emotionally paralyzing and decided to put their plans for adoption on hold for a while. ...

In 2009, Alex and Rachel met their beautiful baby girl, Hope. ... Without explanation or understanding both Alex and Rachel knew in an instant that open adoption was what their families needed.

During the first few weeks as parents Alex and Rachel sent pictures and emailed Hope's birth mother almost daily. They began to realize and embrace the overwhelming significance of a birth mother's love for her child and soon found some unexpected comfort in the openness of their adoption. As a result of their communications a deep love and respect for Hope's birth family emerged.

Hope's adoption was finalized almost one year later. Alex and Rachel were elated when they finally received the legal recognition of their "forever family". Their joy multiplied exponentially 2 weeks later at Hope's first birthday party when her birth family arrived to celebrate with them.

Labels: open_adoption

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With the U.S. Air Force's "Year of the Air Force Family" barely more than a month old, one USAF family has taken the opportunity to expand through adoption. Chief Master Sgt. Sean Stevenson of Air Force News reported the story:

Col. John Marselus, the 607th Air and Space Operations Center commander, and his wife, Kim, traveled to Addis Adaba, Ethiopia, where they picked up their newest son Caleb, a 5-year-old orphan whom they had just adopted.

"The adoption process took about two years, but in reality this journey started well over two decades ago," Colonel Marselus said. Their trip to Ethiopia opened yet another opportunity; the opportunity to meet face-to-face with one of the many children they had sponsored worldwide for almost three decades. ...

After 25 years of sponsorship of multiple children, the Marselus family decided it was time to have an even greater impact on a needy child. It was at that point they decided to pursue the option of adoption.

"Sponsoring needy children ... is great, but we were convicted to see if there was a child who needed a family," Colonel Marselus said. "We strongly felt that the right thing to do was provide an orphaned little boy or girl the love and nurturing they so desperately deserve."

Labels: international

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Trans-racial adoptions, especially Caucasian families adopting African-American children, are becoming increasingly common in the United States. In an article on Examiner.com, writer Maritza Brown advised adoptive parents on ways to incorporate aspects of the child's birth culture into their family:

Since all ethnic groups maintain their own unique culture and mannerisms, it is imperative that the adopting parents not only learn their adopted child’s way of living, but they have to be willing to incorporate the child’s culture into their lives as well as appreciate and respect it. ...

The adopting parents have to venture out of their own comfort zone to meet and befriend others who look like and can identify with the adopted child. ... The child should always have access to an environment where there are people he/she can relate to and form a strong sense of self.

Needless to say that there is an added responsibility when adopting outside of one’s own race. That is why, it is imperative for the adopting parents to be prepared to embrace fully, the cultural lifestyle of the child they intend to add to their family in order to ensure the positive, well-adjusted growth of the child.

Labels: international, trans-racial, parenting

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For many birth mothers, the decision to place a child for adoption is based upon the belief that this will give the child the best possible chance at a happy and successful life.

In a commentary in the Buffalo News, adoptee and current adoption intake worker Zachary Fried addressed this topic in a personal manner, highlighting the many ways in which he benefited from his birth mother's decision:

I’m an adult adoptee: my birth mom was 16 years old when I was born. I honor her and thank her for making that difficult and mature decision. In many ways, she saved both our lives, and she helped my family achieve an important dream. ...

My birth mom's selfless act gave me the opportunity to have a life that has always been special. I was the first-born child in my adoptive family's home. Adoptive and biological children followed -- and we became a nine-kid family. My siblings are diverse, funny, frustrating (whose aren't?), lovable and very much loved by our parents.

We don’t all look the same, but we're blind to the differences as much as we are meshed in our similarities. We are a family regardless of how we came together. Adoption helped build my family.

Labels: adopted children, birth-mothers

Posted By: Staff Writer 0 Comments

The purpose of non-profit adoption agencies is to serve children and their potential adoptive families, right? According to an investigation by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the financial statements of some agencies indicate that caring for children may be secondary.

“The newspaper’s review of federal tax returns and other public documents found numerous examples where top executives’ compensation accounted for one-fourth to one-third of agencies’ budgets. In many instances, administrative costs exceeded expenses on direct services for children.”

The Journal-Constitution obtained its information by reviewing the tax returns of nearly all 336 private foster care and adoption agencies licensed to operate in Georgia. Though phone calls and emails were made, few agency executives responded to requests for comment.

Labels: agencies

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 0 Comments