Ways to Celebrate National Adoption Month in CO
By Anna Keller
Placing your baby for adoption is something that may seem daunting. And in a lot of ways, it is. But if you do decide to go through with the adoption process, you will have support. Christian adoption agencies like Adoption Choices of Colorado will provide resources for you to navigate this process regardless of your religion. You can also look locally; for instance, if there is an adoption agency in Denver that grabs your attention, reach out to them. The primary goal of private adoption agencies is to help you as much as possible during your unplanned pregnancy. If you are looking into creating an adoption plan, you might be aware that November is National Adoption Month. Celebrating adoption in Colorado can be lots of fun, especially if you get creative.
If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 303-670-4673 (HOPE) or visit us at Adoption Choices of Colorado.
Ways to Destigmatize Adoption
One way to celebrate is to raise awareness, which can be done through social media. Social media is a great way to convey your stance on certain topics. If enough people post positive messages about adoption, the stigmas can begin to fade. The narrative will begin to shift. In time, birth mothers will no longer be villainized or targeted for ‘giving up on’ their children. One website offers the idea of sharing statistics of thousands of children waiting for a home. Another fun idea is watching a movie that positively represents adoption. Many sectors of the media, including movies, portray adoption negatively.
They use it as a crutch to withhold the villain’s backstory or even as a flimsy side plot to legitimize bad behavior. This portrayal of adoption is harmful because it discourages birth mothers from putting their children up for adoption. It also blames the birth mothers for ‘ditching’ their children when they are, in reality, unfit to be parents.
Similarly to watching a movie, you can tap into National Adoption Month by reading a book. The website notes that there are also children’s books on adoption if you want to give the adoptive parents some inspiration. Another activity you could suggest to the adoptive family is mug painting. Your child could paint his or her adoption date on the mug as a token of appreciation for their adoption. National Adoption Month exists because adoption in Colorado, or any state, deserves to be celebrated.
More Ways to Celebrate National Adoption Month
Another way of celebrating is to give back. If you cannot provide financial donations, there are other solutions. You could volunteer at an adoption support group once you have recovered from giving birth. Other birth mothers would especially appreciate your support, as you would have invaluable insight. In connection to this, another idea that often gets overlooked is supporting foster families. Foster families need support too, so what better way than to send them a meal or card for the holidays?
Writing a letter is a way to celebrate involving direct communication with your child. You can write a letter to the adoptive family, your child, or both. This is a great way to open up the lines of communication and connect yourself more fully to the family. This especially works if you fall under the category of really missing your child once you have given birth. Though it may be true that all birth mothers may miss their babies at least a little, some do more than others. That is perfectly fine. If you are a birth mother who anticipates she will really miss her child, then this is a good option.
Why Adoption is not the ‘End-All, Be-All’
Writing letters also allows you to get to know your child as someone more than just a baby who you created. It allows you to humanize them further by attributing certain personality traits and preferences to them. For instance, you will learn about their favorite color, food, and TV show. You can receive pictures of your child by letter as they grow, thus placing a face to the name. Adoption is often misconceived to be this end-all, be-all thing. It does not always have to be that way. If you choose to have an open adoption, you will likely stay in contact with the adoptive parents after you give birth.
If you are a birth mother looking to adopt, you are not alone. You will find that the more you immerse yourself in the adoption community, the more support you will receive. Also, you will find that as much as adoption may be stigmatized, it is also celebrated. You can contribute to this celebration.
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.
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!