"My husband and I are working to adopt from foster care. How do we transition a child from calling us our first names to calling us 'Mom' and 'Dad'?"
When Parents Divorce
The breakup of a family can be especially hard for adopted teens. Here's why.
Letting Teens Take the Reins
As teen's desire more control over their lives, they want to be the decision-makers in determining contact with birth family.
Connect with Your Teen at Family Movie Night
Can't get your teen to talk? Rent a movie.
[EXCERPT] The Art of Waiting: “Baby Fever”
Belle Boggs's The Art of Waiting sets her own struggles with infertility within a larger framework of sociological, cultural, biological, and literary attitudes toward reproduction and motherhood. In this excerpt, she explores "Baby Fever," the longing have a child that sent many of us on our infertility and adoption journeys.
“Opting Out of IVF”
As I dove into research about in vitro fertilization, I kept waiting to be excited about this wondrous technology. But the excitement never came. When our talk turned to adoption, however, I felt the rebirth of hope.
Searching for Answers…with Google?
The Internet requires a cautious approach when teens are looking for answers about adoption.
Ask AF: Sharing Painful Birth Parent News with My Child
"I just discovered that my daughter's birth mother died. My daughter is a preteen and rarely asks about her birth parents. Should I tell her this now, or wait? And, if so, how do I bring it up?"
When Classmates Ask
How can you help your child answer adoption questions with confidence—and handle any queries that come your way?
Letters to the Editor, RE: June 2017
Readers share feedback about articles published in the June 2017 issue of Adoptive Families magazine.
“I’m an Adoptee and Adoptive Parent”
My daughters and I have something important in common. We share the experience of joining a family through adoption.
“When the Heart Won’t Wait”
Desperate to be with her newborn son, one mother packs up her family and heads to Guatemala to foster him.
Exploring Family Roots at School
The family tree assignment is a perfect opportunity to answer your child's questions about adoption.
[Book Excerpt]: Lucky Girl
In this excerpt from her memoir, Lucky Girl, Meiling Hopgood describes her initial rejection of "looking Asian" growing up in mostly-White rural Michigan, and how she learned to embrace her Chinese heritage.
Your First Meeting with an Expectant Mother
For prospective adoptive parents hoping to meet an expectant mother, few situations are more anxiety-inducing than their first encounter. Whether you plan to meet in person or over the phone, knowing ahead of time what questions to ask-and not ask-can reduce your anxiety and help you make the most of this opportunity to obtain information.
“Which Baby Gift Registry is Best?”
Readers share their registry experiences—and tell us which companies have adoption-friendly options.
Letters to the Editor, RE: May 2017
Readers share feedback about articles published in the May 2017 issue of Adoptive Families magazine.
Ask AF: My Child Said He Loves His Birth Mother More
"My six-year-old has been asking a lot of new questions about adoption and his birth mother. He's also told us that he loves her more than he loves us. How should we respond?"
Parent-to-Parent: My Best Advice to Myself
Adoptive parents share the best adoption advice they would give themselves if they could go back five years, whether that would take them back to the adoption process or the early days of parenting.
“Did You Want to Keep Me?”
Faced with a young daughter's despair, a mother realizes her child must reconnect with the past.