Celebrate Adoption: November is National Adoption Month

November is national adoption month, and it is a time to celebrate all those involved in the adoption process. You may be an adoptive parent, birth parent, adoptee, or anyone supporting the adoption process. This month gives all those who understand modern adoption the opportunity to spread the word and share what adoption looks like today.Adoption month began as “Adoption Week,” which was created in 1976 by Governor Mike Dukakis of Massachusetts. In 1984, President Gerald Ford expanded “Adoption Week” to be a nationwide event, and then President Bill Clinton changed it to “Adoption Month,” which is now a worldwide event. The importance of this is first, to celebrate all those involved in adoption, and second, to educate those who don’t understand the beauty of modern adoption.

Those who have not been involved in the adoption process in the past few years probably don’t understand what modern adoption is. They may not understand that now, expectant parents and parents who are currently parenting their child or children are the ones who can make the decisions for their child.

So, what does that mean? Birth parents can now choose the parents for their child and can even maintain a lifetime relationship with their child and their child’s adoptive family. The birth parents can choose a family with the characteristics and lifestyle they want their child to grow up in. They can get to know the adoptive family before the adoption and create a post-contact adoption agreement that outlines what type and how much contact they will have in the future. The birth parents may want updates, pictures, social media contact, and even visits.

Today, adoption doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to your child forever or wait eighteen years to try and find them and then make contact. Now, there are many birth parents and adoptive families who often resemble extended families. On the other hand, if a birth parent does not want a close relationship, that is their choice as well. The benefit of modern adoption is that it can be tailored to the individuals involved.

Adoption has left behind its secretive past and has emerged as a wonderful choice for those who are not ready to parent and for those who want to grow their families through adoption. Most of all, those who are adopted now can understand where they came from, what their medical history is, and why they were placed for adoption.

Adoption is now a world where a birth father can still attend his daughter’s dance recitals. A little girl can be a flower girl at her birth mother’s wedding. These are beautiful adoption stories of love, and no child can ever have too much love.

Now, what can we do to celebrate modern adoption during National Adoption Month?

• Educate Yourself and Others: Take the time to read, watch podcasts, and listen to webinars about adoption. Pay attention to the language used. Words matter. For instance, a birth mother is not “giving up her baby.” She is “placing her baby in a loving home.” This is an incredibly loving and selfless act.
• Support Families Trying to Adopt: Adoption can be an expensive endeavor, and many families depend on fundraising to support their adoption journey. If you see a family trying to raise adoption funds through yard sales, online fundraising sites, or other events, support them. Even if it is $10.00, if enough people contribute, you will see the joy of a beautiful family being formed through the adoption process.
• Volunteer to Help: Whether it is a family or an organization trying to raise donations or to spread the word about adoption, volunteer to help. An organization may be trying to gather supplies such as maternity clothes, labor bags, and other items pregnant women need to help support them during their pregnancy. Perhaps you discuss these needs at church meetings, club gatherings or other organizations you may be involved in. National Adoption Month is a great time to start volunteering.
• Be an Adoption Supporter: Lastly, be a positive adoption ambassador. Whether you are speaking with someone hoping to adopt, a birth parent considering placing their child for adoption, or an adoptee, share what you have learned about modern adoption. Share the positive aspects of adoption today and be that support that those involved in an adoption story need and deserve.

November “Adoption Week” in the state of Massachusetts grew from a week-long event to “Adoption Month” worldwide because it is important. Whether it is a domestic adoption, international adoption, foster adoption, or kinship adoption, all are to be recognized and celebrated during National Adoption Month!

If you are pregnant and want to learn more about adoption, call or text us 24/7 at 1-800-923-6784. If you are interested in adopting, please call us at 1-727-493-0933.

 

 
 

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