Tips on Choosing an Adoptive Family for Your Infant Adoption in Colorado
The Colorado adoption process can seem to be all about order, tasks, and getting your ducks in a row. While some of that is true, it isn’t just systematically getting from point A to point B as logically as possible. Some choices require instinct and gut feelings as well. In no area of the adoption process is that more important than in choosing an adoptive family. Paperwork aside, only you will know at heart who you would like to raise your child.
How do I Begin Searching for an Adoptive Family?
You actually do not have to do any of the searching, which is hopefully a huge stress-reliever. Adoption Choices of Colorado compiles a list of potential candidates for you. The candidates and their homes go through numerous screening processes. Miniature biographies of various adoptive families are then put before you as the birth mother, so that you have an easier way to select the best fit for you and your child.
How will I Know the Adoptive Family for Me?
It can be tempting while choosing an adoptive family to select people that share your interests or hobbies, yet that may not be the best way to go about things. You ultimately want them to share your values, at least when it comes to how you want your child to be raised. If your values don’t line up, your vision for your child’s future might not align with their reality, leading to potential conflicts. In an open adoption especially, where you may still be in contact with your child’s adoptive parent(s) after the adoption, you want to make sure that you are on the same page. Values before other similarities is always a smart route to go.
What if an Adoptive Family is Drastically Different, Despite Sharing my Values?
In this case, weigh your options and decide what is best for you. Adoptive families look different across the United States. There are people of other races and cultural backgrounds, as well as people of other sexual orientations and economic lifestyles. Their hobbies might be bizarre or of no interest to you; but, at the end of the day, the focus is still the care you want your child to receive. If an adoptive family likes sports and you do not, that’s not nearly as important as knowing the family will be loving and raise your child like you would. The differences we usually see as so dividing in our world are not actually that different at all.
Should I Pick a Closed, Semi-Open, or Open Adoption with the Adoptive Family?
This decision all depends on where you see yourself now and where you would like to see yourself in the near future. Some birth mothers feel the need for a fresh start, which might mean a closed adoption, or no contact with their child. Everyone can move on and start a life that works best for them. Semi-open adoptions are a peg up when it comes to communication, where you may use resources here at Adoption Choices of Colorado to connect with her child’s adoptive family. In that sense, our adoption agency becomes the middleman for planning visits. A fully open adoption means that you would have direct contact with the adoptive family, being able to plan visits much more easily.
The answer to what type of adoption you should have is very situational and entirely up to your preferences. So, take some time to consider what you would like. Asking close loved ones for advice, or using our free counseling services here at Adoption Choices of Colorado is also highly recommended.
What are my Adoption Options with Choosing an Adoptive Family?
The easiest way to move forward is to trust in the adoption process. There are many, many successful adoption stories, so it is a tried and true practice. Do you best to take logical actions, but ones that are also grounded in instinct, love, and emotional care. Choosing an adoptive family doesn’t have to be just another task or something strenuous. It’s something that you get to put a lot of thought into and have a lot of influence over. Your say matters.
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: Nathan Dyer is a university student majoring in Communication Arts with a radio/TV/film focus. He enjoys writing professionally and dealing with hands-on problems in real-world scenarios. Among his hobbies is hiking, which always encourages him to explore new places. He looks forward to crafting written materials in the future that serve to help people from all walks of life.
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!