From a woman who finally became an adoptive mother after a decade of trying, here are a few things I wish someone had told me years ago.
“Older Mom, Growing Older”
After catching baby fever at age 40 and adopting a newborn at 45, I'm aiming to live till 100.
“No Longer Hoping for a Miracle Pregnancy”
An imminent hysterectomy is helping me realize that I no longer want to become pregnant — I only want to be the best mother I can be to my children, who came to me through adoption.
Ask AF: What’s Typical in Adoption Agency Contact?
Answers to your parenting questions.
Ask AF: Adopting an Acquaintance’s Baby
Answers to your parenting questions.
Ask AF: Validating a Child’s Past
Answers to your parenting questions.
Relating to Relatives
There's much parents can do to help their teens feel they belong within the larger family network.
“Waiting for a Girl Like You”
A few years after marrying the man of my dreams, I was surprised to once again feel like an insecure single woman, willing the phone to ring.
Older Child Adoption — Becoming a Family
In this collection, adoptive parents share their experiences of parenting older children they've adopted and offer wisdom on that initial adjustment period.
“Becoming an Intended Parent”
Deciding on gestational surrogacy and navigating the complex process involves listening to your heart and your brain at the right times.
“Selecting My Egg Donor”
How do you choose the person you want to make babies with? Everyone has her priorities; these are mine.
The Big IF — Moving Past Infertility
Four writers look back at the roads they've traveled since wrestling with infertility.
Ask AF: Renaming an Older Baby
Answers to your parenting questions.
The Truth About Older Child Adoption
The first year after bringing home an older child is complicated, isolating, utterly frustrating...and amazing.
Piecing Together a Medical History
What do parents need to know about medical history when adopting a foster child?
What I Wish I Had Known
After the initial adjustment stages, parents who adopt older kids often say, "Why didn't someone tell me that?" Here are eight of the lessons families I've worked with over the past 25 years have learned.