Adoption is often talked about from the perspective of the adoptive family and the birth parents, but what do those who were adopted have to say? We asked both children and adults who were adopted through New Life Adoptions about how they have experienced adoption. This is their experience in their own words.
Meet Charis, Age 20
What does adoption mean to you?
Support in a loving two-parent home. Adoption means having the opportunity to thrive alongside my siblings who are also adopted. In addition to celebrating my African culture, I am able to learn about my parents’ cultures.
What do you enjoy about being adopted?
I enjoy having an understanding of multiple cultures. Also, I am thankful to have siblings that can relate to my adoption experience. My view of the world is different in a positive way due to how graciously my parents and extended relatives welcomed me into their family.
What do you tell others about adoption?
Adoption is an excellent parenting choice that unites a child with another family. Both the parents and the child benefit from an adoption. It is not one-sided. The parents have the opportunity to open up their homes and invest deeply into a child’s life. A child is placed in an environment with the potential to pursue his or her goals and dreams.
Meet Ava, Age 10
What does adoption mean to you?
Adoption means to me I get to live and do things that I might have not be able to do if I didn’t get adopted. And I also get to have two great parents.
What do you want the birth parents who will be reading this to know?
Adoption is probably one of the best decisions you’ll make in your life. It might be scary at first, but it’s a wonderful thing that you and the child can have.
What would you tell others about adoption?
It’s a really cool story that you can tell and by adoption you can change a child’s life in a beautiful way.
Meet Hannah, Age 11
What does adoption mean to you?
Adoption means a mom (or a mom and dad) aren’t able to take care of their child so they ask a different family to take care of them.
What do you enjoy about being adopted?
Because I’m in an open adoption I enjoy seeing my birth family. Why – because it’s good to know where I came from.
What do you want others to know about adoption?
Adoption doesn’t mean birth parents don’t want to take care of you. It means they want to take care of you but are unable. Adoption means they love you.
Meet Elliana, Age 14
What does adoption mean to you?
Adoption means that I have life. It means that I have a loving family and a home where I feel safe. Without adoption I might not have had those things.
What do you want the birth parents who will be reading this to know?
Adoption might seem scary at first, but it is the best possible thing you could do for your kid. You are choosing to save your child’s life and give them things you might not have been able to give them otherwise.
What would you tell others about adoption?
Adoption is love. You are choosing to give your child life.
Meet Micah, Age 20
What does adoption mean to you?
It means belonging to a family that is loving and caring. It helps that I understand the circumstances of why I was adopted. Even though we’re not related by blood, we’re still family.
What do you enjoy about being adopted?
I think being adopted is just fun in general. It’s a story I can share with others. I like that I know both my birth family and my adoptive family. I know the almost 100 cousins on the adoptive side of my family and I know the two cousins on the birth side of the family. I like adoption because it gives me more – more family, more love, more friends.
What do you tell others about adoption?
That I get together with my adoptive family and my birth family and we do all sorts of crazy things, from roller skating to baking cookies to eating pizzas. Mostly, we just have fun together. I’m so glad that I live with my brother and that I have two sisters and another brother who live with my birth mom. I think adoption is “more” – more family, more fun, more love.