What is the Colorado Adoption Triad?
The definition of a traditional family has always been birth parents and their child, but a lot has changed in the past few decades. Nowadays the traditional family can expand to include adoptive parents. Your adoption family may look different than other birth mothers’, but each one has its own adoption triad.
Essentially, an adoption triad is a name for an adoption family. As the name suggests, an adoption triad consists of three groups of people in the adoption family. The first group being you, the birth mother, the second group being the adoptive parents, and the third group being your child. All three groups of people are immediate members of the adoption family.
The adoption triad is a term used in all three types of adoption. An adoption triad shows an equal relationship between all three groups of the adoption family. Think of the adoptive family as a triangle. That’s exactly what an adoption triad is. The child is at the top of this triangle connected to the birth mother and the adoptive parents who are also connected and have a relationship.
Groups of the Adoption Triad
- You, the Birth Mother
You as the birth mother play a big part in the adoption triad. You are the whole reason for the adoption plan. Without you choosing adoption, an adoption triad would not be in the picture. No matter if you chose a closed adoption and identifying information may not be disclosed, you are still a huge part of the adoption triad even if you do not have a close bond with everyone in the adoption family.
You are the main reason why your child was placed up for adoption and now has a relationship with their adoptive parents. This entire process and adoption triad is because of you.
- The Adoptive Parent(s)
The adoptive parents are the ones who adopt your child and take full custody of him or her. They will be the parent(s) for your child. They will forever have a connection and bond with your child through adoption. Although they are not the biological parents, they are legally your child’s caretakers and are bonded emotionally to your child.
- Your Child
Your child is the most important part of the adoption triad. Your child will be raised by the adoptive parents and have that adoptive family to call their own. They are the main focus in the adoption, being at the top of the adoption triad triangle. Their bond with you and the adoptive parents is strong, especially in an open adoption where they can learn all about their biological family along with their adoptive family’s history.
Your Relationship with the Adoptive Parents
Even though you put your child up for adoption, you are still a part of the adoption family through an adoption triad. You can still be close to your child like they are to their adoptive parents. This being if you chose open or semi-open adoption and depending on the amount of contact everyone within the adoption agreed on.
No matter the circumstances that you placed your child up for adoption, having an open adoption may be the best option for you, especially when looking at it through the adoption triad. You can stay in your baby’s life from afar, alongside adoptive parents. You can even create a bond with the adoptive parents and have a close emotional relationship with them.
There is an equal connection between all people in the adoption triad. You can have as much of a connection to your child as the adoptive parents.
Your Adoption Relationship with Your Child
In an open adoption, you can have contact with the adoptive parents. This can be however much communication you and the adoptive parents negotiate. You can have an equal relationship with the adoptive parents as you have with your child. Even if you are not the parent to your child, you can be there through a lot with them. This can be through pictures, videos, phone calls, letters, and even the occasional visit. The relationship with your child can flourish the older they get and you can become very close to him or her even if you can’t be the one to parent them.
You can see your child grow up from afar and you can educate them on your family and where they came from. This is a great way to bond and become closer to your child emotionally.
Is an Adoption Triad What You Envision for Your Adoption Family?
An adoption triad symbolizes all the relationships with everyone in the adoption family. Your relationship with your child will be different than your relationship with the adoptive parents, but your bonds with all will be strong.
Here at Adoption Choices of Colorado, we want you to understand all of your options and understand what your adoption may look like. Every adoption family looks different and we want you to understand what every aspect could look like for your adoption family. No matter what type of adoption you choose, you will be part of an adoption triad, even if no one’s identity is public to one another.
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: Molly Allington is an aspiring author born and raised in Syracuse, New York. When she’s not watching her latest Netflix obsession, you can find her nose deep in a book or in her writing. She has been writing books since she was twelve and is in the process of trying to get her finished books published. Molly has a BA in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. With her writing, she is hoping to share supportive information and help as many people as possible. Once she starts her own family, she is wanting to adopt.
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!