Christmas and Adoption in Colorado
The holiday season is here and in full swing. This time could be stressful for birth mothers who have had an open adoption in Denver. It can be stressful to think about Christmas and adoption because this can be the first holiday season they are spending with the adoptive family and their child. It’s understandable, and it is okay if you are feeling this kind of stress at this time. Here at Adoption Choices of Colorado, we have a few tips to help you have the best holiday season after placing your baby for adoption with your child and their adoptive family.
If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 303-670-4673 (HOPE) or visit us at Adoption Choices of Colorado.
Participate in Holiday Traditions Together
One of the things you can do to help you, your child, and the adoptive family have a great holiday season together is to take part in holiday traditions. You can start new traditions with your child and the adoptive family, share some of the holiday traditions you celebrated as a kid, and participate in their holiday traditions. Holiday traditions are a great way to build your relationship with your child and the adoptive family. You will be able to create memories that will last a lifetime, and these traditions are something that you can look forward to each year when the holiday season comes around.
Exchange Gifts with Your Child and the Adoptive Family
Another option you can do along with celebrating holiday traditions is exchanging gifts with your child and the adoptive family. Now you might think that this can be tricky, but this is another way for you to build your relationship and connect more with the adoptive family. When you are looking for gifts for your child, do not hesitate to consult with the adoptive family. They have an insight into what your child enjoys and likes, so rather than guessing, do not be afraid to ask them for advice.
This holiday season, getting a gift for your child can further your bond and relationship with your child more than you know. Getting them a gift that they like or are interested in will let them know that you care about them and are there for them. It also allows them to know that you are taking an interest in them and interested in the things they are interested in. This will help you further bond with your child, as mentioned before, and open up the opportunity for more chances for you to spend more time with your child outside of the holiday season.
Take an interest in your Child’s Interests and the Adoptive Family’s
When spending time with your child and the adoptive family, be sure to take an interest in their interests. When you are spending time with them, you want them to be engaged in what activities you are all doing. If they are interested in what activities you are all doing, like any holiday traditions, they will have fun and enjoy the time you are all spending together, and they will look forward to doing these traditions the next holiday season and so on.
Incorporating their interests and taking an interest in them will help you build your relationships with the adoptive family and your child. This can be key while you are spending time with them this holiday season because if they are not interested, there is a chance they will not want to participate in the next holiday season.
Christmas and Adoption: Enjoy this Holiday Season Together
Remember to enjoy the time you spend with your child and the adoptive family this holiday season. Try to stay in the moment and create wonderful memories together. As mentioned before, this is a time for you to build your relationships with your child and the adoptive family, but you do not want to focus on that. Instead, try to stay in the moment and enjoy each other’s company. Having a great holiday season will build these relationships for you. If you are having a hard time figuring out what to do this holiday season when you are with your child and the adoptive family, do not be afraid to reach out to us for advice on what you can do before meeting with them. Adoption Choices of Colorado is here for you, and we want to help in any way that we can.
If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy and want to learn more about your adoption options, contact Adoption Choices of Colorado by email, phone, or text: Email Us, Text us: 720-371-1099, Call us: 303-670-4673 (HOPE). If you are hoping to adopt, please contact us here.
Meet the Author: Nickolas Cooney is a senior at Arizona State University working through his final semester to get his bachelor’s degree in Sports Journalism. Nick also attended the University of Alabama for his first year and a half of college when he was a biology major. He decided to move back to Arizona and transfer to ASU when he changed his major because he saw more opportunities at the Walter Cronkite School of Mass Communication and Journalism. Since transferring to ASU, Nick has been a reporter for the AIA in Arizona for a semester and worked with the Phoenix Suns and Rising for stories. While writing about sports and creating content about sports is Nick’s passion. He also is very passionate about playing sports as well. He grew up playing baseball, basketball, and racing motocross. Nick still does his best to ride and race motocross when he has time, but he has been focusing on his schooling and another one of his passions, gaming. Nick is an avid gamer, and he is even a streamer on Twitch. He has built up a fan base to be a part of the Twitch Affiliate program.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!