When my granddaughter asked me if I was the “real” mother of her mom, whom I adopted as an infant, I found a way to help her explore her many real connections, through biology, law, and love.
News Briefs: Rwanda Reopens, Ethiopia Processing Only Pending Adoptions
Read the latest about the Ethiopia adoption suspension and Rwanda's intercountry adoption program reopening.
“Parenting After Foster Adoption—Like Playing Jenga, Backward”
As a father who raised a child from birth and is now parenting older children adopted from foster care, I’ve come to see that the game and pieces may, indeed, be the same, but you have to play in an entirely different way.
Ask AF: “We Don’t Hear Back from My Child’s Birth Mother…”
"In the beginning, my son's birth mother seemed to want a lot of contact. I send photos or updates about once a week. She hasn’t seen him in a year, however, and her family hasn’t seen him since birth. Should I back off?"
Share Your Story: How Did You Tell Your Extended Family?
Here are five of the thoughtful letters we received.
Share Your Story: Announcing Your Decision to Adopt
We polled our newsletter subscribers, "How did you tell your extended family about your decision to adopt?" Here's what some of you said.
Ask AF: Encouraging a Cohesive Racial and Cultural Identity
"We have always tried to make sure our internationally adopted son feels proud of his heritage. This year, when the class was writing about Thanksgiving, he asked if he could skip the assignment because people from his birth country do not celebrate Thanksgiving. I know I need to talk to him, but I’m not sure where to start."
“My Journey Through the Stages of Adoption”
Much like the trimesters of pregnancy, I moved through phases of worry, disbelief, and pure joy while I waited to adopt.
Should I Send My Child to Culture Camp?
"My child is approaching an age where I am thinking about sending her to culture camp. Is this something I should pursue or not?" Our panel of adult adoptees responds.
Share Your Story: Choosing a Gender
We asked our readers: should adopting parents be allowed to choose gender? This is what real parents shared about their decisions.
Share Your Story: Baby Carriers
Adoptive moms are passionate about their baby carriers. We asked for your favorites and here's what you said.
Adoption Tax Credit Now Preserved in the Tax Reform Proposal
After the House Republicans’ November 2, 2017 tax reform proposal threatened to eliminate the Adoption Tax Credit, it has been reinstated by Committee. Learn about this vital credit and steps to enhance its benefits for children and families.
Share Your Story: Announcing Your Adoption
We asked our Reader Panel: Outside of your immediate family, who was the first person you told about your decision to adopt, and how did you tell them?
Share Your Story: Adoption & School
We asked our readers: How did you decide whether to introduce the topic of adoption at your child's school? What actions did you take, if any, to start explaining adoption to classmates or teachers? What advice do you have for other parents about how to best interact with your child's teachers?
“How I Parent My Transracial Family”
Like all mixed race families in America, we face stereotyping as a matter of course. These six lessions have helped enrich my family.
When Adoption Travel is a Family Affair
Guess who's coming with moms and dads on the adoption trip? Their moms and dads!
Take the Adoption Cost & Timing Survey
Take the 2017-2018 Adoption Cost & Timing Survey on the average adoption cost and timing of the domestic, foster, or international adoption process, and see results from previous years.
“Take It from Us!”: Open Adoption
Real-life advice from the Adoptive Families community on understanding openness, navigating visits and contact, explaining birth siblings, and more.
“Amanda’s Journey Home to Her Birth Country”
"You belong to two heritages-Jewish and Latin American-and at this special time in your life, when many Jewish families travel to the Mideast, we're heading south." More than a few heads turned when I announced this in my speech to my thirteen-year-old daughter, Amanda, on the occasion of her bat mitzvah.
“Keeping Up Appearances” – Our Skin and 4C Hair Care Routine
As the parents of four black children, we drop a small fortune on lotion and products and build time into our schedule to style their hair, all the while questioning whether we know what we’re doing. A recent conversation offered some much-needed reassurance.