Choosing an Adoptive Family for Your Child in NY
Now is the time to look at minor details for your adoption plan. An adoption plan is a simple blueprint outlining the future you want for you and the child during the adoption process. Many tend to overlook the value of taking a close look at the adoptive family beforehand. One of the main factors in your adoption plan is choosing an adoptive family for the baby.
Taking time to select an adoptive family is a very important and necessary step. This step will prevent a lot of future misunderstandings and miscommunication. You and the adoptive family will understand the roles and responsibilities you have in each other’s lives, no matter how big or small.
- Level of Openness
The first thing we need to look at is how open do you want your adoption to be. There are three types of adoption to express this: open, closed, and semi-open. Having all three of these means there is an option for everyone, no matter the circumstances.
- A closed adoption means the personal information of the birth mother and family are kept private. A closed adoption is ideal for birth mothers who do not want to have an active role in the baby’s life. If this choice is not for you, and you want the exact opposite of these choices, then there is also an open adoption.
- Open adoption means the birth mother’s and adoptive families’ personal information are known, which allows them to keep in contact if they chose to. The terms of an open adoption can vary, which means you and the adoptive family can customize it to meet both parties’ needs.
If you would prefer an option with elements of closed and open adoption, then a semi-open adoption is an excellent choice for you. A semi-open adoption means the birth mothers and the adoptive family can be open to the idea of contacting each other while also keeping certain personal information and details private.
- Location
The location should definitely be a factor while choosing an adoptive family for the baby. Seeing where your adoptive family lives seem very basic, but could be an important factor in your decision, especially if you plan on having a closed adoption.
Even in an open adoption, you want the adoptive family to be closer to where you are if you want to remain active in the child’s life. In an open adoption, you may desire to be close enough to visit, but also have enough distance to live your own separate lives from each other.
- Other Children
To give yourself more peace of mind about the baby’s safety, consider prospective adoptive parents who may already have other children. Knowing that your adoptive parents have experience with kids may help you feel more at ease, especially if this is not their first time adopting or parenting.
- Get to Know Them as People
If you plan on having an open adoption, try to connect with the adoptive family before the baby is born. Choosing an adoptive family can be a nerve-wracking experience, but it does not have to be. Getting to know the adoptive family more personally can release the tension and nerves you may feel in the future.
In an open adoption, you may be considered as part of the family, so the beginning is a great time to lay down the groundwork for your relationship and future in their lives, as well as the baby’s.
Choosing a NY Adoptive Family
Crafting an adoption plan is complex, and it is going to look different for anyone. The adoption process is going to look different in comparison to the stories of others. But the decisions and choices you make as the birth mother does not have to look like everybody else’s. Your adoption plan is going to be unique to you and your circumstances, so when choosing an adoptive family keep you and the baby’s best interest in mind.
Placing your child for adoption carries a lot of stigma and judgments attached. You do not have to allow that to be your story. Choose what works best for you and the baby, and that starts with choosing the right family for their future care.
Adoption Choices of New York is available to assist with your adoption plan. Call us, text us, email us; we are here for you!
Contact Us 24/7: 800-505-8592 (Phone) | 518-478-8420 | Click to Email
Meet the Author: Latee Wilburn is an experienced blog/copywriter and social media marketer from the University of Georgia. She has written for many women’s lifestyle spaces, like Society19, BeautyDepot. She has also written for Adspire.us, a start-up working to inform young women in the ad/marketing industry, as well as tell the stories of the successful women before them. Her latest experience was writing and maintaining social media accounts for the true-crime community, MurderMurder News.
Her experience with writing expanded from childhood. It officially began after a creative writing course while she attended Perimeter College. The passion and love for writing quickly grew, and she began to hone her skills in social media marketing and copywriting. Fusing her two experiences to cultivate meaningful copy with an extra creative flair.
She’s currently finishing up her last year at UGA, majoring in Communications. She plans to attend graduate school to get a Master’s in Psychology and become a psychotherapist to help children and young adults with their mental well-being. Until then, she resides in her cozy reading nook in Georgia with her two dogs, Daisy & Peanut.
