Adoption

Around 140,000 children are adopted by American families each year. Furthermore, nearly
100 million Americans have adoption in their immediate family, whether this includes
adopting, placing, or being adopted. Closed adoption is when the birth parents remain
anonymous. Open adoption is becoming more common and occurs when the adoptees meet
and sometimes stay in touch with the birth parents.

What is adoption?

When a child is adopted, that child moves permanently from one family to
another family
All parental rights are legally transferred to the new parents.
o Which means adoptive parents have the same rights and
responsibilities as parents whose children were born to them.
Adopted children have all the emotional, social, legal, and familial benefits of
biological children.

Short-Term Effects on Children:

May mourn their birth culture

Feel rejected
Experience anxiety, stress, sleeplessness, and grief

Long-Term Effects on Children:

What genes were given to him by his birth parents

o Example: was the mother under stress when the child was being carried
Emotional stability
Lack of medical history
Starts to have a higher self esteem and sense of identity
Child feels love and acceptance

Helping Children Cope:

Talk to the child when they are young (developmentally appropriate)

Be honest
Join adoption support groups
Help children learn to express their feelings

Talking to your Child about Adoption:

Always be a good role model

Be open and honest to always let your child know you are there for them
Make sure the child knows it is okay to express their feelings
Read books to your child about adoption

Book Title
Zacharys New Home
Did My First Mother Love Me?
Ten Days and Nine Nights
We Belong Together
I Wished for You
Yes, Im Adopted
Happy Adoption Day
Two Dads
Forever Families
Rosies Family

Authors

Appropriate Age

Geraldine M. Blomquist
Karthryn Ann Miller
Yumi Heo
Todd Parr
Marianne Richmond
Sharlie Zinniger
John McCutcheon
Carolyn Robertson
Natalie Sutyak
Lori Rosove

4-8
3-8
4-8
3-6
2-8
3-8
5-8
3-8
2-8
4-8

Helpful Resources:
https://davethomasfoundation.org/adoption-guide/what-is-adoption/
https://www.adoptivefamilies.com/talking-about-adoption/talking-aboutadoption-with-children/
https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/long-term-issues-for-the-adopted-child/

Top Picked Childrens Books about Adoption:

Miller, K. A. (1994). Illustrated by Jami Moffett. Did My First Mother Love Me?
Buena Park: California.
When young Morgan asks, "Did my first mother love me?"
her adoptive mother reads her a letter written by
Morgans birth mother. This birth mothers love, concern,
and caring for her child come through loud and clear as
she explains the kind of life she wants for her child.
Sadly, she explains, she cannot provide that life for her
child, so she has given her a different set of parents.

Heo, Y. (2009). Ten Days and Nine Nights. New York: Schwartz and Wake Books.
Watch the girls mother fly off to Korea, meet the
new baby, and bring her home. Here is an utterly
simple, sweet, and child-centric look at the
adoption process through the eyes of a soon-to-be
older sibling. From cutting a red paper heart and
taping it above the new babys crib to telling her
best friend about the adoption, the young narrator
counts down every day and night with growing
anticipation, marking them with a big X on her
calendar. Unlike other adoption books which are
aimed only at the adoptive child.
Blomquist, G. M. (1990). Illustrated by Margo Lemieux. Zachary's New Home.
Washington, DC: Magination Press.
This story for adopted and foster children describes the
adventures of Zachary the kitten, who is taken from his
mother's house when she is unable to take care of him.
It follows Zachary as he goes into foster care, his
adoption by a family of geese and his feelings of shame,
anger and hurt.