One of the most positive developments in American culture over the past decade has been the wave of celebrities who are willing to share their stories via the internet and television. Specifically, several high-profile celebs recently made the news because they chose to open up about the fact that they were adopted. What used to be a closed subject and a hidden process has become more accepted and encouraged, and birth mothers who choose to put their children up for adoption can feel confident that they are making a positive choice.
There are thousands of American families who have tried in vitro fertilization without success, and after years of failed attempts to conceive, they begin to wonder whether they should make the decision to adopt a child. Open adoptions are becoming much more common, and typically a birth mother who contracts for an open adoption can expect to receive pictures of their children, along with updates on their children’s progress. While some adoptive parents tell their children about being adopted, there are others who choose to wait until their children are older to talk about their struggles with fertility.
Adoption agencies can help birth mothers with their decision-making process: moms who are thinking about placing their child up for adoption may feel reluctant at first, but there are benefits to adoption placement. Sometimes, pregnancy can be unexpected, and typically adoptive parents are screened to make sure they have the financial resources necessary to raise and educate a child. Making the decision to pursue adoption can be difficult, but birth mothers should realize that as their children grow older, they can learn to understand that they were placed for adoption in order to have access to better educational opportunities, for example.
There are many reasons that parents may consider placing their children for adoption. Although about four out of every 10 children who are placed for adoption are adopted by their relatives, there are thousands of children who linger in the foster care system. Birth parents who are facing legal termination of their parental rights should understand that by placing their child for adoption, they may be able to help their children find stability. Children never stop loving their parents, and although separation may take some getting used to, finding a permanent placement where children can thrive is every parent’s first priority.
Adoption agencies can help birth mothers with the process of choosing adoption, and are sensitive to the needs of both adoptive and birth families. There are some adoptive families who prefer to adopt children with special medical needs, and adoption agencies can help birth mothers find the perfect placement for their children. There are also some adoptive families who prefer to adopt sibling groups, in order to keep families together. Adoption agencies hire experienced, compassionate staff who understand that birth mothers have a wide variety of reasons for seeking adoptive placement for their children.
Emotionally, making the choice for adoption can be difficult, but there is typically counseling available to birth mothers of every age. Many adoptive families have struggled with fertility for many years, while others have a commitment to working with children who have been in foster care. There are families who prefer to adopt older children, and some who prefer to adopt children under the age of five. Working with an adoption agency to find the proper placement for children is a big decision, but knowing that children are safe, happy, and in a good educational environment can help birth mothers feel confident that they are making the proper choices for their children’s future.
Being a parent means making a permanent commitment to the health, safety, and general well-being of your children. Birth mothers who place their children for adoption can rest assured that, although their children may not live with them, they are still responsible parents who have made a difficult choice that was in the best interest of their children.
