Face–to–Face Preparing to Adopt
by Kent Brand
Recently my grandson, Dakota, successfully received a liver transplant. However, there have been many agonizing moments for my son, Joel, and daughter-in-law, Selena, before Dakota returned from Children’s Medical Center in Pittsburgh. Probably some of the most meaningful support and mentoring came from families who were also experiencing a transplant with their child.
In the same way, families who start the adoption journey need mentors of families who have already successfully faced infertility and already adopted. This is so important when adopting because there are many times when prospective adoptive families need a friend to “lean on” and give them solid direction, support and feedback as they go through their adoption journey.
My recommendation is that families talk to at least 3 to 5 families who have adopted a similar child to the one they are seeking to adopt. For instance, if you have decided to adopt from China, you could talk to other families who have adopted from China for assistance with questions about procedures, travel, “the wait,” adjustment suggestions, medical needs, and key connections.
In addition, I recommend that each family talk to one adult person who was adopted as a child to see what it feels like to be adopted. Talking to a birth parent who made an adoption decision for a child early in life will assist you in understanding the birth parent perspective and thus make you a better adoptive parent to your child. |
