Do we talk to AJ about his birth mother? No. He can’t handle it yet. I wish he could but he can’t. We talk to him, instead about Russia. About the orphanage. About the country he came from, not about “where” he came from.

I wish I could because she is part of me too. No matter where my child is from his birth parents are a part of him and we need to teach him that. We need to show him that. With AJ we just need to allow him to guide us and let us know when it is the right time.

To define open adoption would be like defining the word faith. Every open adoption is different in that every family has their own degree of openness in which they are comfortable. Technically Open Adoption refers to the sharing of information and/or contact between the adoptive and biological parents of an adopted child. This can occur before, during and/or after the placement of the child. However, there are typically three types of open adoption: confidential (minimal information shared), mediated (information mediated through an agency), and fully disclosed (involves full disclosure between adoptive and birth parents).

Adoptive parents should know that having the birth parents in their lives does not have to be a threatening situation. Having them close allows you to better know your child by knowing the birth parents.

Additionally, research conducted back in 1993 shows that adoptive parents and birth mothers are generally satisfied despite the “normal” amounts of grief that accompanies adoption.

Read some Birth Mother Stories at Adoptive Families

Read these stories on Open Adoption.

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The Basics of Open Adoption

I entered mine…Can anyone guess which one I sent in? I’ll be sure to link to it in September…so you can vote for it!
View 2007 contest contestants.

View 2006 contest contestants.

2006 Winners

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Adoptive Families Photo Contest…Did You Enter Yet?

Last week the AP reported that at least Guatemalan officials annulled at least 15 cases due to “improprieties”. Of the 160 cases they had reviewed 15 cases had anomalies and 2,126 were yet to be investigated. Thankfully, the 145 cases that were “clean” were allowed to move forward.

Unfortunately, the AP reported that criminal complaints are being filed against lawyers, doctors, social workers, and birth mothers because of these cases. The problem is that they have misled officials and adoptive families throughout the entire process and they have taken money for the work they have done for children that may not officially be available for adoption.

For good news;

Two couples that we know heard from their agency that their birth mothers were interviewed and their cases will now move on to the review process in PGN.

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Positive Birth Mother Interviews

1. Child Welfare Information Gateway: Resources on all aspects of domestic and intercountry adoption, including adoption from foster care. Includes information for prospective and adoptive parents; information about searching for birth relatives; and resources for professionals on recruiting adoptive families, preparing children and youth, supporting birth parents, and providing postadoption services.
2. US Department of State; General Information on Adoption
3. Adoption.com For information from home studies to blogs about having children in the home its worth a read almost everyday.
4. Guatadopt, FRUA,
5. Adoptive Families Magazine: Because the magazine only touches on the content the writers and contributors have to offer…
6. Rainbow Kids
7. Adopting.org
8. Adoption Today
9. Adopting.com
10. Center for Adoptive Medicine

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The 10 Best Informational Sites on Adoption