» Articles related to: Open Adoption
Contact – Also Not About You
By Elizabeth Ehlen, 11/17/11
Contact between adoptive families and birth families is still a hot topic and big issue to consider. For some reason, the general stereotype persists of adoption as a business arrangement whereby knocked up prom queen goes off to visit an aunt for a few months, surreptitiously delivers a baby who is spirited away by a [...]
Topics: Adoptive Families | Open Adoption
It’s Not About You
By Elizabeth Ehlen, 11/3/11
Happy Adoption Month! I know, the title seems sort of harsh, right? Not exactly what you were expecting for celebrating the way you become a family? Here’s the thing, in order to really celebrate how awesome adoption is, the focus has to be properly placed. Adoptive parents go through a lot, many have issues with [...]
Topics: Adoptive Families | Beginning the Process | Matching | Open Adoption
Adoption Contact and Social Networking
By Elizabeth Ehlen, 6/18/10
More than ever A Gift of Hope is seeing our birth parents and adoptive parents maintain contact through some form of social networking (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc). I see this trend in a very positive light, as I think it is a great way to share photos and updates on the child’s life and maintain [...]
Topics: Adoptive Families | Open Adoption
Adoption Fraud in the News
By The Staff at AGoHA, 2/23/10
Some thoughts from Executive Director Dewey Crepeau, an experienced adoption attorney, on recent news about the arrest of an adoption scammer. A recent news article about the arrest of accused Indiana adoption scammer, Amber Jackson, is another reminder that all of the normal difficulties and troubles that one may experience in adopting can be compounded [...]
Topics: Adoption Law | Adoptive Families | Failure | Fraud and Scams | In the News | Matching | News | Open Adoption
Adopted Children and Grief
By Elizabeth Ehlen, 2/23/08
One thing every parent (adoptive or biological) wants to spare their child is grief. Unfortunately we all figure out that there is no way to protect our children from life completely. Most children have a pet die, or a grandparent, or even a friend's parent. The reality for adopted children is that they must come [...]
Topics: Adoptive Families | Open Adoption
Birth parent Grief
By Elizabeth Ehlen, 2/15/08
A lot of adoptive parents wonder how they should handle birth parent grief, especially when they are so excited to finally be parents. Everyone experiences grief differently, so you have to be prepared for the spectrum. Particularly when in the hospital, if your birthmom wants to see you, be there for her. She may break [...]
