Kasey created an adoption plan with Lifetime while she was still pregnant with her daughter. She shared what open adoption was like for her in a short video.
Kasey was 18 when she chose adoption for her baby girl. In the video, she gives tips on how you decide about the type of openness you want in your adoption plan. Some birth mothers want to get updates on their child through emails and photos, and others like to text or Skype. For Kasey, she knew that she wanted a very open adoption, which includes in-person visits a few times a year.
When she talked to the adoptive couple she chose for her daughter, they both agreed they’d like to have visits a few times a year. The adoptive couple, Andy and Stacey, encouraged open adoption because they wished to raise Kasey’s daughter to know she was adopted. By knowing that she was adopted, Kasey’s daughter could then also know the blessing of adoption. Kasey says, “It’s great for a child to know. I didn’t want there to be any awkwardness as she got older, and might ask ‘where’s my birth mom?'”
There are a number of benefits to open adoption. With open adoption, your child will grow up knowing where they came from, and who you are. By having this knowledge, an adopted child won’t have to ask “why did my mom choose adoption?” In an open adoption plan like Kasey’s, your child will have answers to questions like that. They’ll have photos, letters, and emails from you. And, Kasey is also creating a journal for her daughter to read once she gets older! Here’s Kasey sharing about her adoption experience:
After one of her open adoption visits, Kasey recently told us, “I am so very blessed to have Andy and Stacey in my life! They are the most incredible people I know…seeing them tonight was truly amazing! I couldn’t be happier that they are the ones that get to raise my birth daughter Isabel… They are my rock as much as they are family. I love them so much!”
If Kasey’s open adoption video helped you, Lifetime’s set of adoption stories will also help you learn what open adoption is like! You can watch them here.
As Vice President of Lifetime Adoption, Heather Featherston holds an MBA and is passionate about working with those facing adoption, pregnancy, and parenting issues. Heather has conducted training for birth parent advocates, spoken to professional groups, and has appeared on television and radio to discuss the multiple aspects of adoption. She has provided one-on-one support to women and hopeful adoptive parents working through adoption decisions.
Since 2002, she has been helping pregnant women and others in crisis to learn more about adoption. Heather also trains and speaks nationwide to pregnancy clinics to effectively meet the needs of women who want to explore adoption for their child. Today, she continues to address the concerns women have about adoption and supports the needs of women who choose adoption for their child.
As a published author of the book Called to Adoption, Featherston loves to see God’s hand at work every day as she helps children and families come together through adoption.
0 Comments