Parents who look for their child’s birth family abroad are ushering in a new openness in international adoption. Many say the decision to search requires careful thought.
Ask AF: Reaching Out to the Birth Father
How can we increase the openness of our relationship with our son's birth father?
“From Adoptive Mother to Birth Grandmother”
An adoptive mother prepares to become a birth grandmother.
Contact with Biological Grandparents
Should we create a contact agreement with our children's biological grandparents? What are our legal rights?
Ask AF: Building a Relationship With Birth Siblings
Answers to your parenting questions.
“Running to Mommy”
I knew it would be hard for my daughter’s birth mother to give her up. But I didn’t think I’d feel so guilty for taking her.
“The Birth Parent Reunion Roller Coaster”
After 26 years, I thought 'happily ever after' was about to begin.
“Becoming Craig’s Mother”
My younger son's arrival signaled the end to a decade of heartache due to secondary infertility. So why was I so sad?
“Someone I Will Never Know”
I had never met my child's birth mother. Could I learn to love her?
“Did You Try to Have Your Own Kids?”
My wife was deluged with questions at a new moms' group, each one more personal than the last.
Five Families’ Creative Connections to Birth Parents
When it comes to keeping their children's birth parents an active presence in their lives, many families are thinking outside the (mailbox and in)box.
“Knowing Their Brother’s Birth Mother”
We knew that our youngest son's birth mother would be a powerful force in his life. We didn't anticipate the impact she'd have on his older brothers.
“20 Years of Letters to Our Son’s Birth Mom”
Though we never heard back from our son's birth mother, I continued to write, bragging with a motherly pride I thought only she could understand.
Getting the Grandparents on Board
Their grandparents' love secures our children a place in the family. Here's how to teach the older generation about adoption.
Other Brothers (and Sisters!)
Six families share their amazing stories about the power of birth sibling connections.
“Introducing Tessa to Her Birth Father”
After seven years, we decided to bring our daughter's birth father back into her life. But was she ready for him?
Birth Parent Relationship Changes in the Teen Years
"We have a semi-open relationship with our 14-year-old son's birth mother. Recently, he asked if we could invite her for a weekend. I trust his birth mom, but I'm worried."
“When the Babysitter is…the Birth Mom!”
Though I'm indisputably my daughter's mom, the time she spends with her birth mother seems to offer something I can't.
“Mourning His Birth Mother with the Birth Family”
The tragic loss of our son's birth mother was followed by a powerful new connection with his birth family.
The Role of Genes on Personality
It's easy to associate your child's soaring height or freckles with a birth parent, but what about his straight A's in science or his rosy outlook on life?