Question: How do I explain adoption to my biological children? We want to add to our family through adoption and be able to explain to our children the reason and what positive aspects adoption has. Can you help?
Answer: Adopting can be a great family effort when presented well, early on in the adoption journey. Share with your children as a family, maybe a family meeting over pizza at home. Make it fun and involve each child.
Explain why you want to adopt and how the new family member will be joining the family. Whether you’re pursuing international or domestic adoption, be positive and encourage their questions about adoption.
There are a number of well-written children’s books on adoption you might want to have on-hand for younger children (even the older children might enjoy reading them). Here are some suggestions:
Just Grace and the Double Surprise
Pinky and Rex and the New Baby
All in all, make sure that your children know you love them and have plenty of love to share with a new sibling through adoption. At our Adoption Support Center, you can find a wealth of additional articles, tips, and Q&As such as this one.
Founder of Lifetime Adoption, adoptive mom, adoption expert, and Certified Open Adoption Practitioner (C.O.A.P).
Since 1986, adoption expert Mardie Caldwell has been dedicated to bringing couples and birth parents together in order to fulfill their dreams.
“Many years ago, I was also searching for a child to adopt. We didn’t know where or how to get started. Through research, determination, and a prayer, our dream of a family became reality. I started with a plan, a notebook, assistance from a caring adoption consultant and a lot of hard work; this was my family I was building. We had a few heartaches along the way, but the pain of not having children was worse!
Within weeks we had three different birth mothers choose us. We were overwhelmed and delighted. Many unsettling events would take place before our adoption would be finalized, many months later. Little did I know that God was training and aligning me for the adoption work I now do today. It is my goal to share with our families the methods and plans which succeed and do not succeed. I believe adoption should be affordable and can be a wonderful “pregnancy” for the adoptive couple.
I have also been on both sides of infertility with the loss of seven pregnancies and then conceiving by new technology, giving birth to a healthy daughter. I have experienced first-hand the emotional pain of infertility and believe my experience allows me to serve your needs better.
It is my hope that for you, the prospective parents, your desire for a child will be fulfilled soon.”
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