Will an Open Adoption Work for You
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An open adoption is one where the adopted child and the adoptive family have some degree or another of interaction with the birth mother or the birth family. This interaction can take the form of emails, letters, phone calls, and even face-to-face visits. An open adoption works a little bit differently for every family. While an open adoption may be more difficult for the birth family or for the adoptive family, there are many potential benefits of open adoption to the child that may be worth considering.
A child in an open adoption is more likely to be able to develop her sense of self-confidence and her identity. By having access to her birth family, she can more readily answer the questions that she will face, such as “where did I come from?” She also will have access to important information about her family tree. This can be especially useful in terms of medical information, as a variety of genetic questions can more readily be answered. Further, an open adoption may help the child to avoid the sense of abandonment that adopted children often have.
For birth parents, an open adoption provides some benefits, as well. You will never have to be uncertain about your child’s well-being. You will have a greater sense of control about where your baby is placed. And, while it might seem on the surface that an open adoption would make it harder for you to mourn and to move on, the fact of the matter is that having the opportunity to visit and talk with the adopted child and the adopted family will usually inncrease your ability to deal with the loss.
For adoptive parents, there are some benefits to open adoption, as well. You will be better equiped to help your adopted child as he struggles for self-identity. You will be better prepared for medical emergencies, having access to a detailed family medical history. You will also not have to worry about the birth family’s intentions, because you have ongoing communication and contact with them. And, if their intentions ever go bad, you will probably be able to know a lot sooner than if you did not have contact with the birth parents.
Whether you are considering having your child adopted, or whether you are considering adopting a child, you should give some thought to whether an open adoption will work for you.
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