As a birth mother, take the time to decide what is important to you before you meet with an adoption agency. Time spent on research into the lives of the available adoptive parents can help a birth mother to feel more secure about the process. Voicing your preferences enables the adoption agency to direct you to the candidates that most closely match your desires.
Every birth mother is an individual, so the priorities of each will vary. Think about the things you value in your life or what you feel your childhood lacked. Your image of a perfect life can help you determine what matters most about the family your baby will grow up in. Below are some suggestions to think about as you create your wish list.
Think About Religion
Some birth mothers have a strong religious background and would like the baby to grow up with similar beliefs and traditions. Discuss the potential to have the child placed in a Christian, Catholic, or Jewish home or with people that celebrate another religion. Selection based on faith may reduce the number of options available, but it is worth a discussion.
Decide on Structure
What does the perfect family look like to you? As a birth mother, you may look for couples or singles that hope to adopt. You may prefer a family where one parent stays home, or you may want both parents to have successful careers. Some people like adoptive families to already have children. Other birth mothers prefer the baby to have all the attention.
The lifestyles of adoptive parents can vary widely, so these preferences sometimes matter. In Arizona, any adult resident can adopt if they pass the screening process. Decide before the process starts if you are comfortable with single parents, older parents, or same-sex relationships.
It may help a nervous birth mother to know that the behavior of the family determines its success more than any other factor. According to researchers, the most important traits of successful families include things like commitment, encouragement, communication, and adaptability.
Consider Your Talents
Birth mothers may want a family that will encourage the child to do the types of things they enjoy or excel in. If you are a talented musician, a skilled artist, or an athlete, you may pass these skills on to the baby. Do you want the adoptive parents to encourage this natural talent?
Seek out parents that already take part in the preferred activity so the child will have exposure to it. Many experts continue to debate whether talents like art and athletic skill happen due to genetics or through experience. The ability to participate in the desired activity, however, can enable children to reach their potential.
Ask About Goals
Parents often have goals for the future of their children. Business owners may imagine their offspring taking over the company someday. Parents may want their children to earn a college degree, learn a trade, or join the military. Some parents may want their kids to do all these things, and birth mothers can feel the same desires.
Adoptive parents that share similar goals for their children as you have for them can help you feel more comfortable with your decision. Adoptions often take place because the birth mother feels she cannot give the baby the future she would like them to have. You may relax with the knowledge the baby will have the opportunities you wanted to give them.
Birth mothers cannot control the life of their baby after adoption, but they can choose parents with similar priorities and desires. At Arizona Adoption Help, you can review our hopeful candidates to find the parents who most closely match your preferences. When ready, contact us to learn more about the range of supportive services we offer.
